Meant to Be
by SamanthaRyann
Summary: 27 year old Brooke Davis is feeling lost, her professional career is flawless, but her personal and family life is lacking. She comes across a little girl in the foster care system by the name of Samantha who may change her world for the better. Brooke wants to be a mother, and Sam needs a family, was this all meant to be, or will it be more challenging than Brooke expected.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello Lovely Readers,**

 **Welcome to my new One Tree Hill story! I am excited to start the journey again after the fun we had with "A Hand to Hold at Last." Though this is not the sequel, it will be again Brooke/Sam centric. This story concept came to be from** **Red Lighting** **who gave me the idea several months ago.**

 **So a few notes before we start:**

 **This story takes place in the past when Sam was 9 and hasn't yet been fostered by Brooke. Brooke and Julian are not together at this point, I can't say that the story won't end up that way, but in the beginning it is just Brooke.**

 **Character Profiles: Almost exact to the show, other than Sam's character.**

 **Brooke (27)- Famous Fashion Designer/Creator of Clothes over Bro's**

 **Sam (9)- Spunky Foster Child and Aspiring Clothing Designer with a story.**

 **Peyton/Lucas- (27)- Music Producer-Writer**

 **Children: Sawyer Brooke Scott- (2)**

 **Haley/Nathan (27)-Singer-Basketball Star**

 **Children: Jamie Scott (9) Lydia Scott (2)**

 **Millie/Mouth(27)- Assistant- TV Host**

 **Victoria (50)- Brooke's Mother and vice president of Clothes over Bro's**

 **Okay! Here we go! Please review and let me know if we should continue! I apologize for any grammar or spelling mistakes! I try my best to edit, but sometimes I miss a few!**

Chapter 1: Community

Brooke Davis sat in her home office writing emails and sipping on her coffee. The successful entrepreneur and creator of her own fashion industry could have everything she ever wanted, in most people's eyes, beauty, fame, fortune, talent but Brooke still somehow felt as though something was missing.

Over the years, Brooke had watched her friends grow up, get married, and begin their families. She had always felt as though she was missing out, but as Victoria Davis always said "Clothes over Bro's is your baby." Brooke still felt there was something missing.

As she continued to answer her emails she glanced over at the clock and realized it was getting late, she decided to call it a night and head to bed.

Brooke walked through her empty three bedroom home which once housed her and her best friend Peyton until she and Lucas had finally tied the knot and had started their life and their family together. She walked across the room into the kitchen to grab her phone that was charging in the kitchen before heading to bed.

She noticed a text message from Peyton. She had sent her a picture of Sawyer covered in spaghetti sauce with a big smile on her face. Brooke chuckled. She looked at the photo and couldn't believe that Sawyer was almost two years old. Time had flown by since her beautiful goddaughter Sawyer Brooke Scott and niece was born.

Brooke texted Peyton back with a few laughing faces emoji's before heading to bed.

Brooke washed her face and changed into her pyjamas and climbed into bed. She looked up at the ceiling and was lost in her thoughts. Since moving back to Tree Hill three years ago she thought it would feel different, she moved back to Tree Hill to be home, to be with her friends, but lately she felt more lonely then when she was living in New York and taking orders from Victoria on how to live her life. Sure she saw her friends more often and had gone on a few dates, but nothing really stuck.

At 27 Brooke felt that she was having a mid-life crisis, she hated feeling this way, she filled her days with clothing designs and business plans, her professional life was flawless, but her personal life was lacking. Majorly.

Brooke let out a sigh before rolling over and falling asleep.

 *******One Tree Hill*******

The morning came faster than anticipated, as it usually does and Brooke was up and out the door by 7:30. She had three business meetings this afternoon and a meet and greet at a local community centre and girls program that she had begun sponsoring as part of her Clothes over Bro's charity fund.

Not only did Brooke want to create a successful company, but also ensured that it would always uphold strong moral values and give back to the community in many ways. It was important to her, not that Victoria had supported her decisions regarding the charity fund, but she still insisted they were upheld with Clothes over Bro's. She was set to speak at the community centre for 1:00pm and was looking forward to it.

 *******One Tree Hill*******

"Alright, things seem to be moving along as planned with the new line and we should be getting samples in, within the next few days." Millie said placing a few papers for Brooke to sign on her desk.

Brooke turned around to face her assistant and friend before closing her MacBook and sitting up from her chair.

"Millie, thank you. I don't know what I would do without you." Brooke smiled.

"Me either." Millie smiled slyly causing Brooke to laugh.

"Alright well, I should get going." Brooke said looking towards the clock. "Wanna come?" Brooke said reaching for her purse.

"No that's okay! Marvin and I are going for lunch." Millie smiled.

"Okay. I suppose I can allow it." Brooke said jokingly. "Tell mouth I say hello!" She said before leaving her office.

 *******One Tree Hill*******

"Hello Ms. Davis, Thank you so much for joining us today. We really appreciate all that you are doing for the centre. The girls are just so excited to see you today." Mrs. Fields- head of the centres social work program said as she guided Brooke to her office.

"Oh my pleasure." Brooke smiled.

"So today we have a group gathering where you will speak on behalf of your work with the centre, and have an opportunity to get some questions from the audience. We also have started a brand new fashion design program for our girls here at the centre and they are loving it, I'm sure they would love some tips on that as well." She smiled.

Brooke nodded. "Absolutely, that's amazing! Where do they have the program, I would love to stop in and work with them every so often."

"That would be lovely, we host the program here at the centre, our girls are able to come and design their own clothing and actually create it as well with a few of our donated sewing machines, and fabrics. They are really enjoying it. Many of our girls are in the foster care system and don't have the opportunity to shop for new clothing so creating their own is really something special for them." She smiled.

Brooke's heart is filled with warmth at the thought of inspiring such an amazing program, of course she would be looking into what else she could do to support the program in the future.

"Ready?" She asked guiding Brooke into the main gym area for her speech.

"Mhm.." Brooke nodded and followed.

 *******One Tree Hill*******

"Now introducing, famous clothing designer and the creator of the very successful clothing line, Clothes over Bro's, and one of our special sponsors, please give her a warm Sunshine Centre welcome, to Brooke Davis."

Clapping and cheers could be heard from the crowd of just over 100 as Brooke stepped on stage and up to the podium.

"Hello!" Brooke smiled. "I am so happy to be here today with you and share a little bit about why I wanted to get involved with the Sunshine Centre. When I created Clothes over Bro's, I knew I wanted it to be about not only the clothes, but the people, the community, I wanted to give back to where I came from, Tree Hill. When I was 17, I started Clothes over Bro's with a few sketches, and a big dream. I never thought I would make it this far, and there were many challenges I had to face along the way, but with perseverance and a lot of hope, I am able to stand in front of you today. But enough about me, I heard there is a special clothing design program here at the Sunshine Centre, where are those girls?" Brooke asked looking out into the audience.

"Here! here!" She heard a few of the girls scream and clap.

Brooke smiled looking down at the group of girls sitting in the very front.

"I am so happy that a program like this has been created, and I am so excited to become more involved." Brooke smiled as the girls clapped and cheered.

"Alright Brooke, how about some questions?" Mrs. Fields asked.

"Okay sounds good." Brooke said as she watched the girls hands shoot up.

"Hi Brooke!" A little girl said with excitement.

"Hello sweetheart, what's your question?" She smiled.

"How did you know when you wanted to be a fashion designer?" She asked.

"That's a great question, I would have to say, I always loved clothes, and sketching, but I think when I was around 10-11 it became my dream." Brooke smiled.

"Me too! I'm 11." The little girl smiled.

"We'll keep at it. Your dreams can come true if you believe in them and work hard for them!" Brooke said.

"Okay next question!" Mrs. Fields said.

The question period lasted for around 20 minutes before Brooke was finished and back in Mrs. Fields office saying her goodbyes as she noticed a little girl peaking in the window, but as soon as she was noticed she darted off, this lasted a few moments and Brooke chuckled. "Who is this little one?" She laughed pointing towards the door.

"Let me guess... Brown hair, dark purple and sparkly shirt?" Mrs. Fields asked.

"I think so." Brooke nodded.

"That would be Samantha." She usually hangs out around the offices.

"Oh." Brooke said. "Should we invite her in? I have a few minutes." Brooke offered.

"Sure." Mrs. Fields said opening the door.

"Sam! You can stop spying and just come in!" Mrs. Fields hollered without stepping out into the hallway with a smile.

A few seconds later Sam appeared and walked into the office taking a seat in the chair next to Brooke.

"Well, I thought you'd never ask!" Sam said as she plopped down in the seat.

Brooke chuckled. Well this one sure has some spunk. She thought to herself.

"Hey Sam, I'm Brooke, it's nice to meet you." Brooke smiled.

"Hello!" Sam said kicking her feet under the chair.

"I like your shirt!" Brooke said looking down at the girl's outfit.

"Thanks! I made it myself." Sam smiled proudly.

"Really? Wow Sam, you have some talent, how old are you?" She asked.

"I'm 9 but I'll be 10 soon. But sometimes Mrs. Fields says I'm really 16 and trapped in a little body." She smiled.

Brooke laughed.

"It's true." Mrs. Fields said with a smile.

"Well I like your style." She smiled.

"Thanks, I like yours too, this whole sophisticated classy look. I'm into it. I'm more of a skater girl myself, but it suits you." Sam said honestly.

"I'm sorry you're 9?" Brooke laughed. It was true. You could tell she was beyond her years.

"Alright Sam, it's almost time to go, is your foster mom picking you up today?" Mrs. Fields said looking over at the clock.

"Nope. I got moved again last night." Sam said looking towards the window.

"Oh no. I'm sorry to hear that Sam, what happened." She asked.

"I dunno. They got a call about a baby, the usual. At the pound everybody wants the puppy and no body wants the mutt." She sighed.

"Sam. Your not a mutt." Mrs. Fields said with sympathy.

"Yes I am. It's just the way it is, no sense in being sad about it." Sam shrugged.

Brooke's heart was breaking at the conversation she was hearing. Brooke felt for this poor little girl.

"Anyways! I'll leave you alone and go play until my social worker gets here!" She said hopping out of the chair and back into the gym.

"Sam slow down! No running!" Mrs. Fields called as she saw Sam run out of the office. As she shook her head and chuckled.

"That one is a handful, but she's wrapped right around my finger and she knows it." She laughed.

"Aw. She's so sweet." Brooke said.

"Yes she is. I just wish she could find a long term home before it's too late and she is placed in group care until the age of 18. A kid like Sam needs 1:1, she's a handful, with one heck of an attitude, but she is also a wonderful, smart and talented child with a great future. She just needs a family, she's been so hurt by the system, it's not right. 6 homes in one year is just too much on a child." Mrs. Fields said.

Brooke nodded in sympathy.

"Anyways, you probably need to get going." Mrs. Fields said.

"Okay, well thank you so much for everything today, it was wonderful, and I will be sending over my assistant tomorrow morning with some more sewing machines and supplies for the girls." Brooke smiled.

"Thank you Brooke. It will mean so much to the girls. We really appreciate it." She smiled.

"Not a problem! Bye!" Brooke said leaving the office.

As Brooke walked out to her car, she noticed Sam sitting in one of the windows watching her leave.

Brooke smiled and waved, as Sam waved back as Brooke stepped into her car.

During her drive back home, all she could think about was Sam. Her face and her story was on Brooke's mind all night as she thought of what else she could do to help this poor little girl.

Then it suddenly dawned on her as she looked over at her empty guest room.

Was this all meant to be?

 *******One Tree Hill*******

 **So, what do you guys think? Keep going? Do you like it, where would you like to see it go? I have a few ideas, but let me know!**


	2. Chapter 2: The Interview

**Hello Lovely Readers,**

 **Wow! Thank you so much for all of your kind reviews! I am happy you all enjoyed the first chapter! Based on the reviews I have decided to continue the story. Here is the second chapter which focuses on Brooke's foster care application process! As well as some bonding with Sam.**

 **Enjoy!**

Chapter 2: The Interview

The morning came early for Brooke, as she has spent most of the night tossing and turning, thinking about Sam.

She had called Millie to cancel her morning meetings so that she could personally deliver the supplies for the girls fashion program at the Sunshine Centre, as well as have a meeting with Mrs. Fields about her interest in the foster care program with Sam.

Brooke nervously packed her car with the supplies before hopping into her SUV and driving towards the centre.

As Brooke reached the parking lot, she put her car in park and looked into the rearview mirror.

"Alright Brooke.. You can do this. Don't be nervous. You are Brooke Davis! You can do this!" Brooke said giving herself a pep talk before she would open the car door and head into the centre.

As she spoke and looked into the mirror, she jumped suddenly at a knock on her window.

She turned to the side to see a small brunette smirking into the window watching her talk to herself.

Brooke's cheeks turned a slight shade of red as she smiled and opened the door.

"Why were you talking to yourself?" Sam laughed.

"Well. I was- on the phone- Bluetooth, you couldn't hear the other person, that's all." Brooke lied.

"Um. Okay. Whatever you say." Sam laughed.

"Hey! What are you doing spying on people anyways.." Brooke laughed turning things back around.

"Oh you know, I like to be informed." Sam said proudly.

"Oh really." Brooke smiled as she turned and opened her trunk.

"What's all that stuff?" Sam asked hoping beside Brooke and looking into the back of the filled SUV.

"Well it's some things for the fashion program that I wanted to drop off!" Brooke smiled.

"Cool!" Sam said peaking into the bags of fabric. "I call first dibs on fabric choices!" She announced.

Brooke laughed and nodded her head.

"Do you want to help me bring this stuff inside?" Brooke asked looking down at the girl snooping through the bags.

"Yeah sure!" Sam said grabbing a few bags and heading towards the front doors of the centre.

Brooke smiled and joined her.

After a few minutes Brooke had her car emptied and was waiting outside of the offices for Mrs. Fields.

"Oh Brooke! Good morning! I thought you were having your assistant drop the supplies off for the fashion program." Mrs. Fields asked.

Brooke stood up from her chair and greeted Mrs. Fields.

"Good morning, well what can I say, I just couldn't stay away.." She smiled.

"Please come in!" Mrs. Fields asked.

Brooke entered the office and sat in the same seat she had sat in the previous day.

"So what brings you in, other than the supplies of course." She asked with a smile.

Brooke took a deep breath. 'Here goes nothing.' She thought to herself.

"Well, Mrs. Fields-" Brooke began, but Mrs. Fields interjected.

"Oh Brooke, please, call me Lisa." She smiled.

"Oh sorry- Lisa." Brooke corrected. "You know, yesterday when we were talking about Sam, and her story- I got thinking, I am interested in fostering her." Brooke said.

Lisa nodded as Brooke continued.

"You know, I have the room, in my house and in my heart. I've wanted to be a parent for some time, and maybe this is just the way it was meant to be- I want to be able to give a child like Sam a chance at a better life." Brooke continued.

Silence filled the room for a moment as Lisa nodded.

"Please.. Say something?" Brooke said nervously.

"Brooke, foster parenting is a big job- it takes up a lot of time, and is a considerable responsibility. With a child like Sam- I would say that the workload would almost be doubled- are you sure you are ready for this?" Lisa asked compassionately.

"Yes. Well I can't say that I am completely ready- but I will learn just as any new parent learns, I don't think anyone can ever be fully ready, but I'm willing to learn, everyday. This feels right." Brooke said confidently.

"Spoken like a true parent." Lisa smiled. "Listen Brooke, I can see that you want this, and that you are passionate about this, but the process takes a while- a little over a year in fact to be a fully licensed foster parent. By then, Sam might alright be in a permanent home- or be moved to another district. We just don't know.." Lisa said. She wasn't trying to shut Brooke down- by any means, she was only telling her the facts.

Brooke thought for a moment.

"Okay- how do we start, there must be something I can do to pick up the pace and get certified faster?" Brooke asked.

Lisa thought for a moment

"Well, there is one option.." She began. "We could apply for a temporary licence and have you do respite care with her for a while until you have enough time together- and social worker visits you may be able to become her full time foster parent I'm a few months, but it's not guaranteed." Lisa said.

"Okay great!" Brooke smiled. "Wait.. What is respite?" She asked.

Lisa smiled.

"Well respite is a type of foster care where a child stays with you for weekends or evenings to give the full-time foster parents a break and somewhere else for the child to go." She explained.

"Oh. Okay." Brooke said. "So who would I talk to, to get that process started?" Brooke asked.

"You're looking at her" Lisa smiled.

"Oh.." Brooke said. "Well.. Where do we go from here?" She asked.

"Well I have a bit of time today. We can get the paper work started and I can have a social worker come by your house this week for a home visit." She said.

"Okay great." Brooke smiled.

"Okay let's get started." she said pulling some files from her drawer.

 *******One Tree Hill*******

"Brooke.. Are you sure about this?" Peyton asked in a concerned tone as they said in the living room of Peyton and Lucas's home.

"Yes. I'm sure." Brooke nodded. "I know it's not going to be all easy, but I really want this." Brooke insisted while holding her niece in her lap.

"Alright then." Peyton smiled.

"Plus I think this is going to be good for me, I need something in my life that isn't the company or clothing designs. It gets a bit lonely after a while if I'm being honest." Brooke sighed.

"Brooke- Honey, I'm so sorry. I had no idea." Peyton said with compassion.

"Don't be sorry, you have Lucas and your beautiful daughter, and Haley and Nathan have Jamie and Lydia- you have your own families, your own lives- I just wish I could have put more time into making a family- then the clothes sometimes, that's all." Brooke said honestly.

"Aw. Brooke." Peyton said leaning her shoulder on her best friend.

"It's okay P. Sawyer. It will all change soon." She smiled. "We started the paperwork today, and I have a scheduled home visit tomorrow." She said.

"That's great! I can't wait to meet her." Peyton smiled.

"Yeah she's a bit of a firecracker, but she's so sweet at the same time." Brooke smiled.

"Hmm. Reminds me of someone.." Peyton smiled. "That would be your aunt Brooke, Sawyer!" Peyton whispered through a laugh.

"Yeah well, she also loves designing clothes so-" Brooke laughed.

"Woah, were you separated at birth?" Peyton asked.

Brooke smiled.

"This feels right P." She said honestly.

"Well then, go for it. You deserve to be happy B." She said with a smile.

"Thank you.. I'm probably going to need a lot of help.."

"That's why I'm here, and Haley, we are always here for you. Call me whenever you need me, and I'll be there. Always. You know that." Peyton said lovingly, taking Brooke's hand in her own.

"Thanks P. Sawyer." Brooke smiled.

 *******One Tree Hill*******

"Okay Mrs. Davis, first we will sit down and talk, I will ask you a variety of questions and record your answers, then I will ask if I can have a tour through the home and ensure it is a suitable environment for a child." The social worker said placing her binder and work bag on the kitchen counter in Brooke's home.

"Okay sounds great." Brooke nodded and smiled.

"Shall we get started then?" She asked.

"Yes, would you like some tea, or coffee?" Brooke asked.

"Maybe just a glass of water, please?" The social worker asked.

"Oh absolutely.." Brooke said walking around the counter and filling a glass of water from the fridge door.

"Okay so, I'll start with some basic questions, then it will move into the more personal questions." She said. "Everything you tell me has the potential to be recorded for our records, once you have given your answer, you cannot change it, but you may add onto it, if you wish." The social worker said.

Brooke nodded.

"So, what interests you in the Foster Care Program?" The social worker asked getting her pen ready.

Brooke thought for a moment.

"Well, I believe that providing a child with a safe and stable home, will give that child an opportunity to have a better life, and a future successful person in society. I want to be a part of something that helps a child to reach their full potential, and teaches unconditional love to that child. That may have not experienced it." She said with a smile.

"Wonderful answer Mrs. Davis." The social worker smiled finishing her sentence.

"Ready to move on?" She asked.

"Yes." Brooke nodded, confident in her answer.

"How would you say your childhood was?" She asked.

"Well. My childhood was filled with anything I could have ever wanted, I grew up in a large house, with many things to keep me occupied and entertained, I had several nannies growing up, as my parents worked long hours and couldn't provide me with the parental type of care, I needed. Some could say that I had everything I could have ever wanted, but I did wish I felt more love in my life from my parents, which is why I value providing a safe and stable home for a child filled with love and not things, that is what is most important." Brooke said almost nervously but remained confident.

"Okay, moving on. Just a few more questions." The social worker said with a smile.

"As a foster parent, what is the most important thing you can provide for a child?" The social worker asked.

"Well. I'm sure that a lot of the times that you ask this question the first thing would be a safe and stable environment, which is of course necessary and required, but I would have to say the most important thing that I could provide to my foster child, would be love. Unconditional love. These children in the system have lived lives, many beyond their years and haven't had the opportunity to simply be a child, I want to give a child the ability to feel love and to give love, I want to make that child realize what is so incredibly special inside of them, and help them learn to shine. I think that sadly sometimes these children in the system are raised by the system, but the reality is that children shouldn't be raised by a system, or a state, children need to be raised by people, who help them to succeed, in every aspect." Brooke said confidently.

As the social worker continued to write down Brooke's answers, she looked up at Brooke and smiled.

"You know Mrs. Davis, I've been doing this for some time, and I can't say that I have ever heard an answer quite like yours. Beautifully said." She smiled.

"Thank you.." Brooke said honestly.

"I think that will cover the questions." The social worker smiled, closing her book.

"How about a home tour?" She asked.

Brooke nodded and guided her through the home, including both Brooke's, and the guest bedrooms. Once the tour was completed the social worker had collected her things and congratulated her on a positive home visit experience. She said that she would be in touch by the end of the week with an acceptance into the program after reviewing the visit.

 *******One Tree Hill*******

It had been just over a week since the home visit. Brooke had been visiting the Sunshine Centre regularly and helping the girls with their designs in the fashion program, especially Sam.

Mrs. Fields would smile at the doorway as she looked at the clock that was much past 'after hours' for the centre as Brooke and Sam worked on clothes together and taught Sam different skills on the sewing machine, and various stitches.

One of the other employees at the centre passed the room that Mrs. Fields was looking into so happily.

"What's going on here?" Joy smiled.

"Look at how happy she is, Joy?" She said looking through the window at Sam.

Brooke and Sam were laughing loudly as they attempted to thread the sewing machine but kept missing the hole.

Joy and Lisa watched as the two laughed together with a smile on their faces.

"Sam has really gotten attached to her huh?" Joy asked as they tried not to get noticed in the hallway looking at the beautiful scene happening in front of them.

"Yes, she sure has." Lisa nodded.

"Do you think she will be approved for the Foster program with Sam?" She asked.

Lisa smiled and looked back towards Brooke and Sam laughing and bonding.

"She already has, I get to give her the news today, I just don't have the heart to interrupt this moment.." Lisa said.

"That's wonderful!" Joy smiled.

"Yes, Brooke will actually have her first weekend with Sam, this Friday." Lisa said with happiness.

Just as Lisa and Joy were talking Sam turned her head to notice them standing at the doorway window.

"Uh oh! We've been spotted.." Joy laughed.

"Alright well I'm going to go and deliver the news." She smiled opening the door and joining Brooke and Sam in the room.

"Having fun?" Mrs. Fields asked Sam.

Sam smiled and nodded.

"You know Sam. I have something to ask you." Mrs. Fields said.

"Okay. Shoot." Sam said.

Mrs. Fields smiled. "Well, I see how much fun you have been having with Brooke over the past week, and I got thinking, how would you feel about going to stay with Brooke for the weekends for the next little while?" Mrs. Fields asked.

"Like for respite?" Sam asked with a smile.

"YES!" Sam said jumping up from her chair! "Yes, yes I want to!" She said sitting back down and calming herself.

Brooke's heart loaded with joy at Sam's excitement.

"Well, how does this weekend sound?" She asked.

"Yes!" Sam smiled jumping into Brooke's arms.

Brooke wasn't expecting the jump and stabled herself while laughing and holding onto Sam.

"Well then, it's settled." Mrs. Fields smiled.

"I've been approved?" Brooke asked.

"Yes, Brooke, you have officially been approved for respite care." Lisa smiled.

"THIS IS GOING TO BE AWESOME!" Sam yelled jumping up."We can make more clothes together!" She said excitedly.

"We sure can." Brooke smiled.

"Congratulations Brooke." Lisa smiled.

"Thank you.." She said honestly.

"So I guess I will be seeing you this weekend!" Brooke smiled looking at Sam.

"Yep, see you there." Sam said skipping out of the room as her bus back to the girls group home was waiting out front.

"Where is Sam now?" Brooke asked.

"Well she is staying at a group home for girls at the moment, group homes are not ideal, but it will do for the time being. Hopefully we can get her in your full-time care soon, a kid like Sam needs a lot of 1:1, and unfortunately she won't get a lot of that in this home, but she has the weekends to look forward to." She smiled.

"Yeah that's true." Brooke smiled.

"Have a great night Brooke, talk to you soon." Lisa said leaving the room and walking towards her office.

"Thanks you too!" Brooke smiled standing up and heading towards the parking lot.

She sat in her car for a moment and reminisced in the previous moments of being told she had been approved.

Brooke couldn't wait to start the program and decided to head to the store. She had to get everything ready for the weekend!

Just as soon as she was about to start the car, she looked down at her vibrating phone, it was Victoria.

Brooke paused for a moment before answering. She couldn't possibly tell her mother that she would be a foster parent. Victoria would defiantly not approve, and insist that she only focus on the company, as usual. However, Brooke also didn't want to keep it from her. She took a deep breath and answered the phone.

"Hello?"

 *******One Tree Hill*******

 **Uh oh! Just when things seem to be moving along perfectly Victoria is thrown in the mix. How do you think Brooke should handle it? Also what do you think Sam and Brooke should do together during their first weekend?**

 **Please** **review guys, I love hearing your thoughts and suggestions!**

 **Until next time!**

 **-Samantha**


	3. Chapter 3: I like it here

**Hello Lovely Readers,**

 **I am sorry it has taken me a few weeks to update, I've been crazy busy with work and didn't have much time to sit down and write.**

 **I hope you enjoy this update! Please let me know what you think. I'm always open to storyline suggestions so please feel free to leave them!**

Chapter 3: I like it here

It was a busy Friday for Brooke Davis. She had a few meetings in the morning about the new line for Clothes Over Bro's being released in the fall, as well as a teleconference with a few of her suppliers.

But now that her busy day was over she could focus on what really mattered. This weekend would be Sam's first weekend with Brooke in her home. Brooke was feeling excited and nervous at the same time. Her social worker would be dropping Sam off at 4 o'clock.

Brooke drove home and got out of the car with some shopping bags for the weekend. Once in the house she put away the groceries and some things she had picked up for Sam.

Shortly after the knock came at the door with Sam and her Social worker.

Brooke happily invited them inside with a warm smile as Sam's face lit up as soon as the door opened.

"Woah! Your house is awesome.." Sam said looking around the room at all of the trendy furniture and decor.

"Well thank you." Brooke smiled.

"Alright Samantha, I will be back to get you on Sunday evening, please enjoy your time with Brooke and behave yourself. No attitude. Understood?" Her social worker said with a smirk knowing all too well that wasn't going to happen.

"Whatever you say.." Sam shrugged and walked into the living room.

"Ahem, what was that?" Her social worker asked.

"No attitude, understood." Sam sighed unwillingly.

"Thank you." The social worker smiled and then turned her attention to Brooke with a smile.

"Brooke, may I talk to you outside for a moment." She asked opening the door as Brooke followed.

"How are you doing?" The social worker asked with a smile.

"Oh I'm great, very excited." Brooke smiled.

"That's great. I know you will both enjoy your time together. I just wanted to fill you in on a few things before I go, and give you my number just in case you need anything this weekend." She said handing Brooke her card.

Brooke nodded and smiled.

"Now, Sam is a wonderful child- she has a great personality as I'm sure you have noticed." She smiled.

"She has been through a number of things in the past that can sometimes make her a bit closed off, there was abuse in the biological family when she was removed at age 4, and has had a few negative foster home experiences that has left her with a number of abandonment and trust issues- when Sam feels uneasy about something she is often known to run. The key to providing a stable home for a child like Sam is to build her trust, and reassure her that this is a safe home and you aren't going anywhere." The social worker continued.

Brooke nodded lost in her thoughts of what this poor little girl had gone through in her short life. She was determined to be a positive chapter in her life.

"Sam has a tendency to cover up her insecurity with her attitude. She believes that if she can push people away with it, that they won't get a chance to hurt her. She has a tendency to believe that everyone is going to give up on her at some point. Which is something we've been working on with her since the day she entered the system." She said.

"She won't push me away." Brooke nodded confidently. "But I'll keep that in mind." She half smiled still feeling terrible for this child.

"I'm confident that this will be a positive placement for Sam, I am going to be recommending Sam for a full time placement with you, I have never seen this side of Sam, she's happy when she is around you, more lively- I've defiantly noticed. She hasn't stopped talking about this weekend in our past check-in sessions at the group home." The social worker smiled.

Brooke tried her hardest to not let her eyes fill with the tears she felt forming. "Thank you. That means a lot. I love Sam- in the short amount of time I've been able to spend with her- I've already fallen in love with her." Brooke smiled.

"Yeah. She tends to have that effect on people." The social worker smiled relating to her own feelings about her small client.

"Alright, well I've kept you long enough, you and Sam have a great weekend- I will see you on Sunday!" She said walking towards her car in Brooke's driveway.

"Bye!" Brooke called as she walked back into the house to find Sam waiting patiently on the couch.

"Hey Sam!" Brooke said sitting down next to her.

"What were you talking about?" Sam asked.

"Well, we were talking about you, just a few things about the weekend." Brooke said.

"Do you still want me to stay with you?" Sam asked with a hint of fear.

Brooke suddenly realized exactly what the social worker was talking about with Sam's trust and abandonment issues.

"Of course I do, my home is your home now Sam, and it's going to be that way, as long as you want it to be." Brooke smiled.

Sam nodded with a slight smile.

"How about we go for dinner somewhere?" Brooke asked.

Sam looked up at her with big eyes. "Out somewhere?" She asked.

"Yeah, what is your favourite restaurant? You pick!" Brooke smiled.

Sam thought for a moment.

"I don't really have one.." Sam admitted.

"Oh come on! There has to be somewhere." Brooke smiled.

"Well, I've never really been 'out for dinner'.." Sam said honestly.

Brooke instantly froze. Crap. She thought to herself. First Foster parenting fail.

"Oh. Well what kinds of food do you like?" Brooke asked.

"Well. Whatever is around really.." Sam admitted. She defiantly wasn't a difficult child to please, she was used to having to fend for herself so the idea of having favourite foods was a waste of time in her mind because she would always have to make do with whatever she had.

Brooke didn't really know what to say in this moment. She didn't mean to make Sam feel uncomfortable- she just had assumed the girl had been to a restaurant.

"But I like Pizza." Sam added as she watched Brooke's facial expression drop. She knew Brooke meant well in the question, but Sam was realizing quickly that Brooke was pretty lucky, in a big house, with lots of money. She probably didn't understand what it was like to not really have much. Sam said to herself in her mind.

"Pizza it is!" Brooke smiled. "I know a great pizza parlour downtown." She said.

"Okay." Sam nodded as they made their way out of the house and to the pizza parlour.

 *******One Tree Hill*******

Brooke and Sam sat at a table close to the window as they are their pizza. Sam had already fallen in love with the restaurant and Brooke could tell that this would have to be a regular outing for them on Sam's visits.

"So why did you want me?" Sam asked casually while taking a bite of her pizza.

Brooke was caught slightly off guard by the question, that Sam seemed to ask so normally. She thought for a quick moment and then responded.

"Well, I think that you are wonderful." Brooke smiled. "And when I was at the centre, I noticed your interest in fashion and you reminded me of a younger version of myself." Brooke said.

"Is that all?" Sam laughed.

"No." Brooke continued. "Sam, you were born into a family that didn't love you the way that they should have. Then you were put into a system that didn't always protect you as much as it should have. I want to be the person that shows you that those two things are possible. Love and protection. I want to be your last stop, you deserve to have a family that cares for you, and loves you unconditionally." Brooke finished.

"Oh.." Sam said. "I thought it was strange you chose me. No one really wants to choose me.." Sam admitted with a shrug.

"Well I chose you." Brooke smiled.

"I guess so." Sam smiled and took another bite of her pizza.

 *******One Tree Hill*******

"This one is beautiful!" Sam said picking up a dress as Clothes over Bro's and showing it to Brooke who was standing beside her.

"Oh, that one was from our spring line. I'm glad you like it." Brooke smiled as she watched Sam run around the store like a kid in a candy shop.

She wanted to bring Sam to the store and show her around, as she knew Sam loved fashion design, and the Clothes over Bro's line. She only wished that Sam could try on a few pieces, but they were much to big for her size, Clothes over Bro's had not yet come out with a kids line, but Brooke's mind was already rolling on the idea since meeting Sam. She had inspired her.

"Well, what do you think? Should we get home?" Brooke asked looking at her watch. It was getting late.

"Okay." Sam nodded as they walked out of the store and towards the car.

"I liked today." Sam said sitting in the backseat as they drove towards Brooke's home.

"Thanks Sam, I liked today too." Brooke smiled.

"What are we going to do tomorrow?" Sam asked.

"Well, what would you like to do?" Brooke asked looking into the rear-view mirror of her SUV back at Sam.

Sam shrugged.

"I'm sure we'll find something." She smiled.

"Okay." Sam agreed.

 *******One Tree Hill*******

Brooke and Sam made their way into the house laughing as they raced up the driveway.

Brooke took out her keys and opened the door as she noticed a not so welcoming familiar face sitting on the couch.

She froze as Sam ran inside at full speed.

"I won!" Sam called out doing a victory dance.

"Well, well." Victoria said standing up and smoothing her skirt.

"Mother.." Brooke greeted in a not so welcoming fashion.

Sam stood watching the scene in front of her in a confused manner.

"Is this why you haven't been retuning my calls?" She said pointing with a flat hand towards Sam, who was standing off to the side by the kitchen. "You've been too busy- what is this babysitting.. Oh please Brooke, this is beyond you.." Victoria scoffed.

"I'm not babysitting." Brooke said. "This is Sam..." Brooke said taking a deep breath.

"My foster child." She said.

"Excuse me, you'll have to repeat that, I seem to have heard you say you had a foster child." Victoria said in disbelief.

"No. You heard correctly." Brooke said straightening her posture.

"No. Take it back. This is not happening." Victoria said sternly.

"First of all, she is not an it. And second, what I choose to do with my life if none of your concern. I chose to become a foster parent because I needed something else in my life other than clothes, something you insisted I focus every waking moment of my life to since I started Clothes over Bro's." Brooke snapped getting defensive.

"Ha! Well you seemed to appreciate that as you became one of New York's leading designers thanks to me!" Victoria scoffed.

"No. Thanks to me." Brooke corrected. "Now, I don't appreciate you barging into MY house and telling me how to live my life, so if you wouldn't mind-" Brooke said opening the front door and gesturing her hand outwards.

"Ha! Stupid girl." Victoria scoffed. "I am your mother." She said in defence to Brooke's comments.

"Oh yeah, since when?" Brooke growled.

"Hey! Leave Brooke alone!" Sam said stepping forward dramatically.

"Oh look. Little orphan Sammy speaks." Victoria scoffed looking over her shoulder at the small child.

"HEY! Don't speak to her like, that." Brooke snapped.

"Listen you little monster, you are only here due to some unexplainable aneurism my daughter has had that would cause her to even think about ruining her life with a child." Victoria laughed with venom in her voice.

"No! You're the monster, you bitch!" Sam yelled catching Brooke off guard with her language.

"Samantha!" Brooke scolded lightly.

"Well she is!" Sam yelled. "She called me a monster!" She defended as she crossed her arms.

"I know." Brooke said walking towards Sam and standing in front of her in a protective manner.

"It's time for you to leave." Brooke said pointing to the door.

"Fine. But you're making a big mistake.." Victoria said picking up her purse and slamming the door behind her causing both Brooke and Sam to jump.

"Well, she was nice..." Sam said breaking the silence with her sarcasm.

Brooke smiled and sat down on the kitchen bar stools, patting the seat next to her for Sam to sit.

"I'm sorry you had to see that Sam." Brooke began.

"It's okay. I'm used to it." Sam sighed.

Brooke closed her eyes and shook her head in disappointment.

"I'm sorry Sam..My mother is complicated. She's not very motherly-" Brooke said in a very short summary of what her mother was. "I didn't mean for any of that to happen." Brooke said with emotion.

Sam reached over and reached for Brooke's hand holding it before speaking.

"It's okay Brooke. Families are weird sometimes. It's not your fault." Sam said in comfort with a smile.

Brooke looked down at the small girl who was trying to comfort her, and was blown away by her maturity at such a young age.

"Thanks Sam." Brooke smiled. "But you're not supposed to be the one comforting me. I'm supposed to be doing that for you." She said.

"So. Why can't we comfort each other?" Sam shrugged innocently.

"You're sweet you know that?" Brooke smiled.

"That's what they say.." Sam shrugged with a hint of pride.

"Well that sure was an eventful evening, but I think it's time for bed." Brooke said looking up at the clock.

"Brooke.." Sam whined. "Can't we just watch a movie or something?" She asked with big eyes.

"Sam, it's getting late. We can do that tomorrow.." Brooke said hoping off from her bar stool and helping Sam off of hers.

"This will be your room." Brooke said opening the door to her guest room.

"Okay." Sam said walking into the room.

Sam picked up her bag and walked into the washroom to change into her P.J's while Brooke got her bed ready.

"Brushed your teeth?" Brooke asked as Sam hopped into the bed.

"Yep!" Sam said climbing under the covers.

"Okay." Brooke smiled.

"Do you remember where my room is?" Brooke asked pointing out of the door directly at her bedroom.

"Yeah." Sam said.

"Okay, my door is always open. If you need anything, anything at all, please come in and wake me." Brooke said giving her a kiss on her forehead.

"Okay, goodnight." Sam said snuggling into the blankets.

Brooke went to walk out of the room before she was stopped by the sound of Sam's voice.

"Brooke?" Sam said softly.

"Mhm?" Brooke said turning around.

"I like it here." Sam said.

"Well, I love having you here." Brooke smiled. "Goodnight Sam." She said continuing to walk out of the room.

"Night.." She said laying her head back down on the pillow.

Brooke closed the bedroom door and walked into the living room.

She sat on the couch and thought about their day together. Brooke's heart filled with love and she could already imagine the day that Sam was able to be placed with her permanently.

 *******One Tree Hill*******

 **What did you guys think? Victoria is such a troll, acting this way on Brooke's first weekend with Sam, but how do you think she handled it? It was sweet of Sam to try to comfort Brooke in this moment, I think she may be used to dysfunctional families, it's nice that they may have that connection.**

 **Where would you like to see this story go! Have a storyline in mind? Let me know!**

 **Until next time,**

 **-Samantha**


	4. Chapter 4: Welcome Home

**Hello lovely readers! I know it has been quite some time. I apologize. Things have been so crazy busy lately but I wanted to update as soon as I could. I love reading your reviews, they are so amazing and inspiring! Thank you for any thoughts and suggestions you all give me as I do truly take them into consideration.**

 **Disclaimer: I only skimmed for editing this chapter so if there are a few errors, I'm sorry. I just wanted to get it up quickly!**

 **Enjoy!**

Chapter 4: Welcome Home

"Brooke!" Peyton and Haley said in unison as they burst into Brooke's bedroom in her home.

Brooke moved slightly under the covers at the loud voices in her bedroom.

"Mhmm.." Brooke yawned still not registering the fact that she was actually awake.

"Brooke! What are you still doing sleeping!" Haley said walking over to her friend and ripping the covers off of her.

"Ugh!" Brooke huffed now really waking up. "Wait.. How did you get into my bedroom?" She said rubbing her eyes.

"Um hello. I have keys.." Peyton said with an eyerole.

"Right.." Brooke sighed. "Remind me to revaluate that decision in the future." She huffed throwing a pillow up at her face to block her from the sun bursting into her room as Peyton threw open the curtains.

"Do you not remember what today is?" Haley teased.

"Today.." Brooke mumbled. Then it suddenly came to her.

"TODAY!" She said sitting up quickly. "What time is it?!" She said now fully awake.

Peyton and Haley laughed in unison.

"It's only 11:00 Brooke, we have plenty of time.." Peyton laughed.

"11! I am already way behind!" Brooke said jumping out of bed and running into her en suite bathroom.

"How did I let myself sleep in so long!" Brooke yelled from the bathroom.

"Hmm.. I'm not sure. Maybe because you were up half the night worrying.."

"Or painting…" Peyton added with the subtle smell of paint lingering in the house.

"Hey!" Brooke called peeking her head out of the bathroom. "I want everything to be perfect. The room just needed an extra coat.." She said bobbing her head back into the bathroom.

Peyton and Haley laughed.

"Okay we'll let you get ready." Haley said walking out of Brooke's bedroom.

"And don't take forever.." Peyton added with an eye roll.

"Yeah, yeah.." Brooke said brushing off the subtle jab from her best friend.

Peyton and Haley made their way into the kitchen and sat chatting as Brooke was getting ready.

"I'm just going to peek my head in and see it.." Haley squeaked in an excited tone.

Peyton smiled and joined her as Haley opened the bedroom door, to the room that was once Brooke's guest room.

"Oh.." Haley said already beginning to tear up. Since having children she could cry at just about anything. "It's beautiful." She said.

Peyton looked around at the freshly painted and decorated bedroom. The walls were a subtle grey, with white trim, the furniture was a trendy black wood, with dark purple, and silver accents. The bedspread was silver with an abundance of beautiful throw pillows with glitter, and creative patterns, all colour coordinated with a splash of purple. There was a large white shag rug under a large desk with a sewing machine, and a book shelf full of novels and journals.

Peyton stood in awe of the room, also of her best friends decorating skills. This was surely a dream room for any nine year old. Especially one in particular.

Haley and Peyton were snapped out of their trance as Brooke's voice came from behind them.

"So, what do you think?" Brooke said softly with a smile.

Peyton and Haley turned back and hugged their friend.

"It's beautiful Brooke.." Peyton said releasing herself from the hug.

"You think?" She asked stepping in the room. "because I've arranged the furniture like 200 different ways, and I thought this was okay, but what if, I move the desk to this side?" Brooke said pointing and quickening her voice. "Also what if the bed has too many pillows, or the colours aren't a perfect match to what she said was her favourite!" Brooke continued to ramble nervously.

"Brooke, Brooke.." Haley said walking towards her friend and stoping the rant. "It's perfect. Just the way it is." She soothed maternally.

"Yeah, Haley's right." Peyton added. "Sam is going to love this." She added.

"Are you sure? I just want everything to be perfect.." Brooke admitted.

"We know. Every new mother does." Haley smiled.

Brooke's eyes filled slightly with tears at the thought. Brooke Davis. A mother. She could definitely get used to that.

"Honey I'm so proud of you.." Peyton said sharing another hug with her best friend. "You are going to be an amazing mother ." Peyton whispered holding her friend.

"So let's get this party started!" Haley said heading into the living room.

Brooke and Peyton followed.

"Okay, so what should we do first?" Peyton asked.

"Well the decorations are in my car, the cake is being delivered at noon, and everyone is supposed to arrive by 3. Sam's social worker will be dropping her off at 4." Brooke said.

It had been just over 4 months since Brooke had been doing Sam's respite care for the weekends. They had become quite adjusted to each other. Sam's social worker had put in a rushed request on Brooke's Foster Parent licence and it had been approved last week, this meant that Sam would be coming to live with Brooke, full-time. She was ecstatic to hear the news, and even more ecstatic to share it with those closest to her, which is what this evening was going to be all about.

A welcome home party.

Brooke has invited a few of her closest friends, including Peyton, Haley, Millie, mouth, Lucas, Nathan, and of course the kids. Brooke was sure to only have people over that Sam had also grown familiar of during her weekends with Brooke.

Brooke was excited to welcome Sam home in the best way she knew how, a party. But the best part was, that Sam was under the assumption that it was just another weekend with Brooke, her social worker was dropping her off on Friday afternoon just like always, only this time, she wouldn't be picking her up on Sunday. She would now be living with Brooke full-time.

The three friends walked out into the driveway to get the decorations she had bought yesterday out of Brooke's car.

 ********One Tree Hill*********

A short time later everyone had arrived and things were ready to do. They were just waiting for Sam and her social worker to arrive.

"Brooke. This looks great." Nathan said grabbing a seat next to Lucas.

"Well, thank you. I do tend to know a thing or two about party planning. You could say it's my specialty." Brooke said with a wink.

"You know I was thinking. This is great.. You don't even have to potty train her!" Lucas laughed followed by Peyton smacking his arm.

"What! It's true." He laughed.

"Aunt Brooke?" Jamie asked.

"Yeah little man?" Brooke responded as the group subsided their laughter after Lucas's comment.

"Are you excited to be a mom?" He asked.

"Of course I am." Brooke smiled.

"Good. Cause I think you're going to be a cool mom." Jamie smiled.

"Well thanks buddy, that means a lot." Brooke smiled.

"Yeah cause you're my cool aunt Brooke. Sam is so lucky! She's going to be able to do all the fun stuff we do together, like all the time! You'll be like the be the coolest mom ever." Jamie said.

Brooke laughed.

"What am I? Chopped liver?" Haley laughed messing up her son's hair.

"Ew, gross. What's chopped liver?" Jamie asked.

The group burst into laughter.

Suddenly the doorbell rang and Brooke shot up and got everyone in their places for the big surprise party.

"Okay! Shh! When I open the door that's when everyone can jump out, and not too loud, I don't want to scare her!" Brooke said walking towards the door.

Brooke opened the door slowly as Sam walked into the house seriously confused all of the decorations.

"Uhh?" Sam began to question but was cut off by a crowd of cheers.

"WELCOME HOME!" The group shouted as Jamie blew some party horns.

Sam jumped lightly but then smiled, looking up at Brooke and all of the familiar faces in the room.

"Welcome home Sam!" Brooke said kneeling down to her level and giving her a hug.

"Um.. Thanks Brooke but I'm here every weekend. What's with the party?" Sam laughed.

"Well this weekend is special." Brooke smiled.

Sam looked back at her social worker to try to understand why.

Her social worker simply smiled, and nodded for Brooke to continue.

"Sam, I know you love spending your weekends here, and a little while ago I applied for you to stay here full-time as your foster home, instead of just the weekends, and I've been approved. So this welcome home party is for you, because this is going to be your home now Sam, if you want it to be. So what do you say?" Brooke smiled.

Sam's face lit up.

"Wait, so you mean I live here now? I don't have to go back to the girl's home on Sunday or like ever?" Sam confirmed.

Brooke nodded.

"You really mean it?" Sam asked with a smile.

"Yep." Brooke smiled. "What do you think?" She asked.

"You really want me?" Sam asked quietly.

Brooke's emotion finally hit. Sam's comments were so innocent but so powerful. For a child to ask you if you really wanted them just went to show how much the system can really affect these children.

Sam quickly wrapped her arms around Brooke's neck tightly.

"Thank you Brooke!" Sam said with emotion as she held her foster mother.

Haley, Peyton, and Millie had their eyes filled with tears at the scene before them. It was really beautiful. Even the social worker wiped a tear or two from her eye.

Sam let go and confirmed once again that this was a reality and she wasn't dreaming.

"Do you really mean it?" Sam whispered into Brooke's ear.

Brooke wiped away her tears and nodded with a smile.

Sam turned to face the crowd that was watching with tear filled eyes as Lucas broke the silence.

"This calls for cake!" He called and lit a candle that was placed in the centre of Sam's personalized welcome home cake.

Sam smiled as Lucas lowered the cake to her level and told her to make a wish.

Sam smiled and blew the candle out as the group clapped and cheered.

"Alright! Let's get this party started!" Jamie said excitedly blowing his noise maker.

Soon enough music was playing in the background as the group mingled and welcomed Sam home.

Sam was enjoying the party and off to the side talking to Jamie.

Brooke smiled at the two bonding and getting to know each other.

She decided it was time for the big reveal. And cut the music getting everyone's attention.

"Alright everyone! What's a party without gifts?" Brooke smiled looking over at Sam and gesturing her to come over to her.

Sam smiled and made her way over to Brooke looking up at the big purple bow that was hanging on the guest room door.

Sam furrowed her eyebrows and looked up at Brooke with confusion.

"Uh. A door! What I've always wanted!" Sam smiled awkwardly followed by the group laughter.

"Already sarcastic, I like her." Peyton winked.

Brooke rolled her eyes and continued. "It's not the door silly, it's what is behind the door." She said looking down at Sam.

"Oh." Sam shrugged with a laugh.

"Go ahead, open it." Brooke smiled.

"Open it! Open it!" Jamie called out as Haley hushed him softly. "Geez, I'm just excited for her mama." He sighed quietly.

"I know jimmy jam. It's okay." Haley smiled looking down at her son.

Sam opened the door revealing her brand new bedroom. Shock was written all over the young girls face as she looked at the perfect bedroom.

"This is.. This is mine?" She confirmed.

Brooke nodded and smiled.

"Really? Like for real?" Sam said dramatically.

"Mhmm." Brooke laughed. "What do you think?" She asked.

"It's amazing. I love it. Thank you." Sam said with excitement as she ran into the room and flopped onto the bed.

The group laughed.

"I guess that means she approves?" Haley joked.

"I guess so." Millie smiled.

 ********One Tree Hill*********

A short while later guests began to say their goodbyes and leave the welcome home party.

The last to leave was Peyton, Sawyer and Lucas. Brooke and her friend had a moment outside in the driveway as she congratulated Brooke and hugged her friend.

Sam was inside cleaning up the decorations from the party as Brooke said her goodbyes in the driveway. She was trying to reach the tape that was attached to the wall and couldn't seem to reach it. She stepped up on the table and reached higher and higher until she reached it.

"Ah ha! Got it!" She said happily as she grabbed the tape on her tippy toes.

Just as she grabbed the tape Brooke opened the front door.

"Sam! What are you doing- careful!" Brooke called across the room.

Brooke's voice startled Sam and caused her to fall slightly backwards as she knocked over a party cup full of soda onto the floor from the table.

Sam continued to gain her balance as she knocked over another bowl of popcorn where the soda had split. She finally had her footing as she looked across the room at Brooke and her eyes instantly filled with tears.

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to!" Sam said quickly with tear filled eyes.

Brooke made her way over to Sam to make sure she was alright but the girl flinched back as Brooke attempted to help her down.

Brooke pulled back at Sam's reaction. She didn't mean to scare her, she wasn't angry she was just making sure Sam was okay.

"Sam? I'm sorry- I'm just helping you down." Brooke said nervously.

"I'm sorry!" Sam cried, jumping off the table and running into her room closing her bedroom door behind her with a loud thud.

"Sam! Wait.." Brooke called as Sam ran away.

Brooke stood utterly confused for a moment, not knowing what to do. Should she follow Sam- or give her, her space? She knew for one thing she needed to get this soda off of her hard wood floors before it damaged the wood. She thought as she looked down at the spill.

She quickly reached for a kitchen towel and cleaned most of the mess up.

Brooke took a deep breath before walking towards Sam's bedroom door. She went to knock but hesitated. She wasn't sure what to do. Maybe she did need her space, or maybe she needed to be comforted. Why was this so hard! Brooke thought sighed.

She knocked anyways.

"Sam?" Brooke said softly opening the bedroom door.

No response.

"Sam? Can I come in? I'm not upset with you, can we talk?" Brooke asked again.

No response.

Brooke sighed and fully opened the door looking over towards the bed but there was no Sam to be found. Brooke scanned the room and even looked under the bed.

"Sam?" Brooke called as she looked in the closet and in any hiding places she could think of in the bedroom.

"Sam?" Brooke called again with a bit of nervousness. "Come on Sam, please come out, Sam?" She called again.

Brooke turned to see the bedroom window curtains blowing in the wind. Brooke began to panic.

She noticed a small piece of paper on the side of Sam's desk that read-

"I'm sorry."

Brooke's eyes filled with tears. Did Sam run away? Over this? She was so confused.

She ran towards the window and looked outside. Immediately Brooke ran out of the bedroom and grabbed her phone.

In a panic, she also put her shoes on and headed outside searching around the house and calling her name. It had only been a few minutes there was no way she could be far. Brooke thought.

"Saaam!" Brooke called out several times. Still no sign of Sam.

After 10 minutes of searching Brooke stopped for a moment scanning the area with her eyes before pulling her phone out.

"Damn it." She said dialling in the number of Sam's social worker.

"Hello." The social worker answered.

"Hi, it's Brooke. It's Sam, she ran away-" Brooke said in a panic.

"Not again.." The social worker sighed. "I'm on my way." She reassured Brooke.

 ********One Tree Hill*********

Sam walked for what felt like hours. In reality, it had only been about 20 minutes. Her tears were still flowing as she walked through an unfamiliar neighbourhood.

She came across a gas station and looked in the windows spotting what she had gone searching for.

Sam headed into the gas station and received a questioning look from the attendant.

She opened one of the fridges taking out a bottle of soda, and took a bag of popcorn from one of the shelves.

The gas station attendant was busy assisting another customer as Sam quickly made her way out of the store. However, the attendant quickly caught on and called after the girl.

"Excuse me! You have to pay for those!" The man called.

Sam began to run out of the store.

"Hey! Stop!" The man called running outside after her.

The man quickly caught up to Sam and grabbed her arm causing her to drop the popcorn.

"What do you think you're doing kid!" He yelled. "You're stealing from my gas station!" He yelled.

Sam attempted to wiggle free but couldn't. "Let me go!" She cried.

"I don't think so! You're coming with me! I'm calling the police!" He said pulling her back towards the store.

"No! Let me go! Please! I'll give it back." Sam said.

"Too late, you little thief!" He snapped pulling her into the store and calling the police.

 ********One Tree Hill*********

Brooke waited nervously in the driveway of her home for Sam's social worker. How has she skewered up so badly in just a mere couple of hours of being Sam's full-time placement.

As she paced the driveway her phone rang. It was Sam's social worker.

"Hello?" Brooke answered.

"Hello Brooke, I've located Sam. She's at the gas station down the street from your house. She was caught stealing. I have convinced the attendant to refrain from calling the police, would you be able to pick her up?" She asked.

"Yes, I'm on my way." Brooke sighed in relief. All she heard out of that conversation was that Sam was safe, didn't so much focus on the fact that her foster child had been caught stealing.

"Okay, I'll let you handle things from here. Don't worry Brooke. This is common with Sam. She's a runner when she is triggered. We will talk later." She said.

"Okay thank you." Brooke said getting into her SUV and starting the engine.

A few moments later Brooke pulled up to the gas station and hopped out of the car.

"Sam?" Brooke called as she walked into the store frantically.

"Brooke?" Sam said running from the back room.

Brooke wrapped her arms around the girl. "Are you okay?" Brooke said looking over the girl. "You scared me half to death, Sam!" She said giving her another hug.

"You're- um. You're not mad?" Sam asked nervously.

"No sweetheart. I never was." Brooke smiled and then looked up at the angry worker standing behind Sam.

"Excuse me? Are you her foster mother?" He asked.

Brooke nodded.

"I was just on the phone with her social worker- I won't be calling the police but see that this never happens again!" He snapped.

"I assure you sir. It won't. Right Sam?" Brooke asked looking down at Sam.

Sam nodded.

"What did she steal?" Brooke asked.

The worker pointed towards the counter at the bottle of pop and bag of popcorn on the counter.

Brooke sighed on the inside. Exactly what Sam had spilled. She was trying to replace it.

"I see." Brooke said reaching into her wallet and handing Sam a 10 dollar bill. "Go and pay for the items Sam." Brooke said.

Sam looked up at Brooke nervously.

"Go on. I'm right here." Brooke smiled.

Sam nervously handed the worker the money as he rang up the items and took the money from Sam, then handing her the change.

Brooke looked down at Sam with a questioning look. Sam was confused she wasn't sure where to go from here.

"I think you owe someone an apology.." Brooke hinted.

"Oh. I'm sorry." Sam said looked towards the worker.

"Don't let it happen again." He said in response.

Sam nodded and the two made their way out of the store and into the car.

For a few moments it was silent, until they reached home. The two made their way inside.

"Let's have a chat?" Brooke asked sitting on the couch and patting the spot next to her.

Sam sat down next to her.

"So. Why did you run away?" Brooke asked.

"I thought you were mad at me.." Sam said quietly.

"Why would I be mad at you?" Brooke asked.

"Because I knocked over the soda and popcorn from the table." Sam said.

"Sam, it was an accident. I would never be mad at you for that. Brooke said softly.

"I thought you would be and you were going to punish me." Sam said in a defeated tone.

"Oh honey." Brooke said pulling her foster daughter in for a hug. "I would most definitely not punish got for that. It was just an accident." She said still holding Sam closely.

"Well they don't care about accidents at my other homes I've been too. They still got really angry." Sam said with emotion.

"When they got angry, what would they do Sam?" Brooke asked almost not wanting to hear the answer.

"They would punish me. Call me names, hit me, yell, or lock me in my room." Sam said.

Brooke's heart broke instantly.

"Sam. Look at me." Brooke said slightly pulling away from the girl.

"I would never, ever hurt you in any way. I will never hit you, call you names or lock you in your room. I promise. Those people who did that to you were wrong. They can't treat you in that way. It is going to be different here, okay?" Brooke said with some emotion.

"You can't promise me that." Sam said. "What if I get in a lot of trouble?" Sam asked.

"Sam, I will never hurt you. No matter how much trouble you get into.." Brooke reassured.

"But what if I break the rules, or get in trouble at school." Sam asked.

"Well then you and I will have a talk, just like we are having now." Brooke said. "And we will talk about consequences together. But none of those consequences will ever hurt you. I promise." Brooke said.

Sam nodded getting the feeling that Brooke was being honest with her. After a life in the system, she was always nervous around new foster parents but after spending several weekends with Brooke she was beginning to trust her.

"Alright then." Brooke nodded.

"Sam, why did you steal from the gas station?" Brooke asked.

Sam bowed her head looking off to the side.

"I was trying to replace the popcorn and soda that I split." Sam said quietly.

Brooke nodded. "I know you meant well sweetheart, but stealing is not okay." Brooke said. "The police could have been called, and you could have been in big trouble." She said softly well knowing the girl had already learned her lesson judging from her experience at the gas station.

"I know. I'm sorry." Sam said honestly. She had been half scared to death by the gas station worker threatening to call the police and wasn't going to be stealing again any time soon.

"From now on. I want you to come and talk to me when you have all of these feelings, rather than running away. Okay?" Brooke said.

Sam nodded.

"I am always here Sam, and I need you to talk to me, because running away is not a good way to solve things. It's dangerous. You can't run away from your problems Sam, that only makes them bigger, and harder to come back to later on.." Brooke said honestly.

"I'll try." Sam nodded. "Sometimes it's hard to talk. I normally just write, I have so many journals filled up. I really like writing. It's sometimes hard for me to talk. But I've never really had anyone to listen so.." Sam said honestly.

"Well now you have me. I'm always here. I have an idea?" Brooke smiled reaching for a small box decorative box that was under the coffee table.

"This will be our special talking box." Brooke said. "When you have something you want to talk about but you have a hard time saying it, just write it down on a piece of paper and put it inside. That way when it's hard to talk we can still communicate. I will put it on the counter with some paper and pens inside. I will look inside the box every night and see if there is anything you want to talk about, then we can talk about it later m, deal?" Brooke asked.

"Deal." Sam smiled. "Should we decorate it?" She asked.

"Well of course!" Brooke smiled. "What's a talking box without a little sparkle?" She smiled.

Sam laughed.

"Alright. I think it's time to get ready for bed, what about you?" Brooke asked looking over at the clock that read just after 8:30pm.

"Okay." Sam agreed heading for her bedroom.

Brooke smiled placing the box on the counter as promised and following Sam into her bedroom.

"Pj's on?" Brooke asked as she walked into the room.

"Mhm." Sam nodded.

"Teeth brushed?" She asked.

Sam looked off to the side.

"Sam?" Brooke asked in a questioning tone.

"I hate the taste of toothpaste!" Sam defended.

Brooke gave her a questioning look. "Well I'm sorry Sam but it keeps your teeth healthy and cavity free. Maybe we can look at a new toothpaste flavour you would like tomorrow?" Brooke offered.

"I vote we just skip it tonight.. Live on the wild side!" Sam joked.

"No. Go brush your teeth." Brooke smiled.

"Ugh, fine." Sam said jumping out of bed and towards the bathroom.

Brooke laughed as she watched Sam run out of her room and into the bathroom.

A few moments later Sam reappeared in the bedroom with a scowl on her face that Brooke couldn't help but chuckle at.

"Let me see those pearly whites!" Brooke smiled.

Sam shook her head and continued to scowl at Brooke.

"Okay. Fine. You leave me no choice! I'll see them one way or another." Brooke laughed reaching over and tickling Sam's feet under the covers as she burst into laughter.

"Ah ha! I see them! There's that beautiful smile!" Brooke laughed.

"Okay! Okay!" Sam called out. "I give up.." She laughed.

"Well it's a good thing, because I was about to call the tooth fairy on you!" Brooke laughed.

"Goodnight Sam." Brooke said with a kiss to her forehead. "Welcome home." She said sitting up off the bed and making her way towards the door.

"Brooke?" Sam asked.

"Is it okay if I write in my journal for a little while before I go to sleep?" Sam asked. "I have a story I am working on." She added.

"Sure Sam. Not too late, okay?" Brooke said asking which journal from her shelf she wanted and handing it to Sam with a pen from her desk.

Sam nodded.

"Night." She said as Brooke closed the door behind her.

Brooke walked out into the living room and noticed a small piece of paper sticking out of the box Brooke had placed on the counter earlier.

She smiled and opened the lid pulling out a small piece of paper that read "thank you". Brooke's eyes filled up with tears as she looked towards Sam's bedroom door.

This felt right. Brooke thought to herself.

This felt like home.

 ********One Tree Hill********

 **What did you guys think? Let me know in the reviews! What would you like to see more/less of? Any suggestions or storyline ideas? Let me know!**

 **I'll update soon!**

 **-Samantha**


	5. Chapter 5: The Fight

**Hello Lovely Readers!**

 **I know it has been a long time since the last update! I've been crazy busy but I hope this update will make up for it! Please remember to review!**

Chapter 5: The Fight

Sam and Brooke had a relaxing weekend. Over the past few weeks since the official fostering of Sam had begun the two had gotten into their unique rhythm and routine.

This morning Brooke was up early and making breakfast as normal as she waited for Sam to wake up. This process usually took a while to say the least.

"Sam! Last call. Come on, you have to get ready for school!" Brooke called in the direction of Sam's bedroom as she made breakfast.

No movement.

"Sam!" Brooke called a little louder.

No movement.

Brooke rolled her eyes as she threw the hand towel on the counter she had been using to wipe up some of the pancake batter that had split on the counter.

Knock Knock.

Brooke opened Sam's bedroom door to find her sound asleep under the covers.

Brooke rolled her eyes once again. This girl could sleep through anything! She thought to herself.

"Sam, honey. Let's go. Up." Brooke said walking towards her closet and picking out an outfit for Sam to change into.

Normally Sam picked out her own clothes. Brooke liked to nurture the fact that Sam had her own unique style, but they were already running behind this morning, and there was no time.

Brooke looked through the closet for a moment moving her hangers across until she picked the outfit and laid it out on Sam's chair.

As Brooke turned around, she still saw no movement.

"Sam! Now!" Brooke said loudly.

Sam began to toss and turn under the blankets.

"Up! Let's go! Come on. I know you're tired Sam but you have school." Brooke said pulling the blankets off of her slightly.

Sam groaned loudly.

"5 more minutes.." Sam said sleepily.

"Ha! Your 5 minutes were over about.." Brooke looked down at her wrist as if she was wearing a watch. "45 minutes ago.." Brooke said moving the blankets further down the bed.

"No..." Sam moaned reaching for the blankets.

"Sam. Enough. We have to go. We're going to be late." Brooke said beginning to lose her patients.

Sam layed motionless.

Brooke took a short but deep breath.

"Sam. I am not playing." She said sternly as she looked down at her foster daughter's bed.

Sam still layed motionless. If there was one area Sam definitely took after Brooke in, it was her stubbornness.

Brooke looked up to the ceiling almost praying for a solution to these dreaded mornings. She looked back down a moment later to see that nothing had changed.

"Samantha. I am going to count to three. And by the time I get there I want your little butt up and getting dressed for school." Brooke said shortly.

"One." Brooke said sternly hoping that this tactic would have at least some effect on Sam. I mean this was the cliche of all cliche's in the parenting department.

No movement.

Brooke crossed her arms and raised her eyebrow. "Two." She said a bit louder.

No movement.

"Samantha, you are skating on some mighty thin ice right now." Brooke said with a short but annoyed laugh as she shook her head.

" _2 and a half..."_ Brooke huffed praying that Sam would just listen to her. She wasn't sure what to do if she was to actually get to three. I mean it the point of it was not to get to three? She thought to herself.

"Samantha so help me god." Brooke seethed as she threw Sam's covers off the bed dramatically.

"..Thr.." Brooke began but Sam opened her eyes and looked up at her foster mom with a smirk.

"I'm up. Jeez. Keep your shirt on.." She said with a smirk hopping out of bed.

Brooke stood and watched as she walked out of her bedroom and into the bathroom, almost skipping.

" _Don't kill the child... Just_ _do_ _n't kill the child_!" Brooke said in frustration throwing her hands up in the air in frustration and returning to the kitchen.

 *******One Tree Hill*******

"Don't forget your bag!" Brooke said handing it to Sam as she hopped out of the car.

"Thanks." Sam smiled taking it from Brooke hand.

"I'll see you at 3!" Brooke called as Sam ran off towards the school doors.

Once she got to the school doors, she turned back around and blew Brooke a kiss.

Brooke smiled and blew one back.

For how much of a pain Sam could be in the mornings, she always managed to melt Brooke's heart with that kiss.

Over the past few weeks Sam and Brooke had been making great strides. Sam was now comfortable with Brooke and beginning to show more affection towards her, such as blowing the kisses which had now become their special symbol to each other.

Brooke drove off back towards the house to get ready for her lunch meeting with a few investors from clothes over bro's, as well as a B. Davis cover shoot in the afternoon.

Life didn't tend to slow down for Brooke Davis. But she liked it that way.

 *******One Tree Hill*******

Brooke was putting her earrings in as she walked into the hallway and noticed that Sam had some stray clothes laying on the floor.

Brooke walked into her bedroom and picked up the clothes, putting them into the hamper in the closet.

As she exited the room she noticed one of Sam's journals open on her bedside table with a pen beside it.

"Hmm.. Maybe this is why she can't wake up in the morning. She's up writting all night." Brooke said with an eye roll as she picked up the journal to put it on her shelf.

As she was about to close it, she saw something that caught her eye.

"She wished they would stop. But they won't. They still treat her like a piece of garbage, like something they can just leave behind. She wants to have friends too."

Brooke read the sentence and felt her eyes water as she caught a stray tear from her eye fall.

Brooke sat on Sam's bed as she read further down the page.

Brooke felt guilty for reading Sam's journal, but she had been tipped off by her social worker that Sam's short stories often related back to her life experiences.

She wanted to respect Sam's privacy, but that comment raised concern.

"She walked the halls alone. With her head held high. She won't let them win. She will never let them know how they make her feel."

Brooke's heart began to hurt. Was her foster child being bullied and she didn't even know about it.

Brooke closed the journal and placed it on Sam's book shelf.

She headed out of the house and to her meetings as her mind filled with worry for Sam. How could she have missed this? She thought to herself as she drove through the

Tree Hill streets.

 *******One Tree Hill*******

"Leave me alone!" Sam said pushing one of the three girls aside on the school yard.

"What Foster Care, you we're the one to snitch on us yesterday." Sara said as she crossed her arms.

"Yeah, because of you Mr. Green made is clean the entire cafeteria." Becca said as she stepped forward.

"I didn't say anything!" Sam snapped back.

"Bullshit Foster Care. We all know what you said." Sara snapped back.

"You don't know shit!" Sam said pushing Sara.

"Hey!" Becca said stepping in front of Sara. "Get your hands off of her, you freak!" She said.

"You're the freak!" Sam said pushing Becca hard knocking both her and Sara over.

"Hey!" A teacher called from the distance. "Enough!" She called.

All three girls were now trying to push Sam away from them until she had snapped and pushed Sara to the ground climbing on top of her and punching her.

Mrs. Adams pulled Sam off of Sara as she was kicking and screaming.

"Can I get some help over here please?" Mrs. Adams called to a fellow teacher.

A crowd of students has now formed around Sam and the other girls who were involved in the fight.

"Enough!" Mr. Green shouted after blowing his whistle.

Everyone froze.

"Office now!" Mr. Green yelled pointed to the school yard doors.

 *******One Tree Hill*******

Brooke was just finishing up her lunch meeting as she took her, iPhone out of her purse and noticing a few missed calls from Sam's school.

She excused herself from the table and stepped into the rest room.

"Hello, this is Brooke Davis, I have a few missed calls from you, is Sam okay?" Brooke asked.

"Hello Ms. Davis. Yes, Sam is okay but we are going to have to ask you to come down to the school. There has been an incident." The secretary said.

"What kind of incident?" Brooke asked with worry.

"It appears that Sam has gotten herself into some trouble during the lunch hour and was in a fight out on the school yard with a few other students." She said.

"A fight?" Brooke said in shock.

"I'm afraid so, are you able to come to the school and collect her. The principal would like to have a few words." She said

"Yes. Of course. I'm on my way." Brooke said hanging up her phone and making her way back to the table.

"Well Brooke, you've done it again. We can't wait to see the new line. Great work." Mr. Keiler said shaking Brooke's hand.

Brooke smiled.

"It was a pleasure gentlemen. I will be in touch with the future plans of the new line. Millicent will forward you the notes from our meeting. But now I have to get going. Have a wonderful day." Brooke said as she made her way out of the restaurant pulling Millie along with her.

"Well that was a quick exit." Millie said as she opened her passenger side door.

"Sam's school called. She got into a fight!" Brooke said starting the car.

"A fight? With who?" Millie asked.

"That's what I'm about to find out.." Brooke said as she began to drive to Sam's school.

"You don't mind tagging along do you?" Brooke asked.

"Not at all." Millie smiled. "I'll type up the notes from the meeting in the car." She said.

"Thanks Millie." Brooke smiled. "I don't know what I did to deserve such an amazing assistant." She said honestly.

Millie smiled opening her laptop from the passenger seat.

 *******One Tree Hill*******

Brooke's heels could be heard from the end of the hallway as she made her way to the front office.

She turned the corner to see Sam sitting on a bench outside of the office.

Brooke quickened her pace and made her way over to Sam.

"Sam? Are you okay?" Brooke asked looking her over to make sure that she was okay.

Sam just nodded avoiding eye contact with Brooke.

"Honey, what happened?" Brooke asked but was stopped when she was called by the secretary into the office.

"Ms. Davis, the principal will see you now." She said guiding Brooke into the office.

"I'll be right back." Brooke said reassuring Sam. "Sit tight." Brooke said kissing Sam's head as she walked past her.

As Brooke walked into the office, she passed by Sara and her mother leaving.

She noticed the girls swollen and bloodied lip. Sara avoided eye contact with Brooke as she walked with her mother out of the office.

Brooke swallowed nervously beginning to assume Sam had caused the bloody lip.

"Please take a seat." Principal Saunders said with a warm smile.

"First, I would like to thank you for coming down on such short notice." He said offering Brooke some coffee as he poured his own.

"Oh, no thank you." Brooks smiled.

"So it appears that there has been a physical altercation with Samantha and three other students at lunch hour today." He began.

Brooke nodded.

"Now, I have taken each of the girls stories. And it appears that Sam threw the first punch. After pushing a few of the girls to the ground." He continued.

Brooke's expression showed her confusion. Sam was not generally a fighter. Especially if it was unprovoked. Something was missing.

"Now, when taking the other girls statements things all seemed to add up, they all had he same story. But when I spoke with Sam, she refused to share her side of the story." He said. "I gave her several chances to explain, however she remained silent."

Brooke nodded. It wasn't surprising.

"Now I have had a few behavioural concerns with these three girls in the past, but not in physical altercations." He explained. "I am aware that there was a reason behind this fight, and that Sam was most likely provoked in some manner. However, we have a 0 tolerance policy for violence." He explained.

Brooke nodded.

"I have suspended Sam for three days. After which she will return to school and be serving a lunch detention for the remainder of the week." He stated.

"Okay." Brooke nodded. "And the other girls?" She asked.

"They will be serving a lunch detention for the next few days." He confirmed. "But as I was unable to collect any information regarding their initiation of any physical violence I will not be suspending them, unless Sam chooses to come forward and say differently." He explained.

Brooke nodded.

"However comparing the physical appearance between the two, it is clear who took the brunt of the fight." He explained.

Brooke thought back to the girl she had just seen in the hallway moments before.

"Ms. Davis, how long has Samantha been in the Foster Care System?" He asked.

"Most of her life." Brooke answered. "But I don't see how that is a concern here." Brooke said with confusion.

"It is from my experience, that many children who I have worked with who have grown up in the system tend to have a strong temper and can become easily aggressive." He explained.

"I see. Well, that is not the case here." Brooke said starting to become defensive.

"Ms. Davis, if I may- Samantha's case file states that she has had 4 school suspensions in the last two years. Many of them relating to fighting of some sort." He said.

"My foster daughter is not her case file." Brooke snapped back.

"Of course not, I didn't mean to impose that message. However in these... special cases, we have to consider previous behaviours." He explained.

"What do you mean by special cases?" Brooke asked.

"We just have to consider the safety of the other students. That's all." He said.

"Why? Because she's in foster care?" Brooke challenged.

"No, that's not what I'm saying." He explained.

"Really? Because that's what it sounds like you are saying." She said. "Listen, I understand that Sam was in a fight today, and that is not acceptable. But it is also unacceptable for you to make assumptions based on her experience in the foster care system. Sam is not an aggressive child by any means and what you insinuating is that she caused this altercation, and personally I would like to hear Sam's side of the story before any decisions are made."

"Ms. Davis, it was not my intention to insinuate such things. I apologize. I was just merely filling in the blanks here." He said.

Brooke nodded. "Can we please call Sam in?" She asked. "I would like to give her the chance to fill in the blanks." She explained.

"Of course." He said requesting that the secretary call Sam into the office.

Sam walked into the office and sat next to Brooke with her arms crossed as she looked out of the window, avoiding eye contact.

"Samantha, I would like for you to explain what happened this afternoon." The principal asked.

Sam continued to look out of the window for several moments as the principal shrugged towards Brooke.

Brooke took Sam's arm gently to gain her attention.

"Sam, talk to me? What happened?" Brooke pleaded.

Sam sighed.

"I punched her in the face." She said shortly.

"I know, but why?" Brooke asked as she watched Sam continue to look out of the window.

"Because..." Sam said.

"Because why?" Brooke asked gently guiding her chin towards her. "Sam, look at me." She said. "Tell me what happened.." She said.

Sam took a deep breath before she was about to speak.

"Samantha, this is serious. If something was done to cause this fight we need to know about it." The principal stated. "Otherwise, we are under the impression you chose to physically injure another student without reason." He said sternly.

"Whatever.." Sam sighed and looked back out of the window.

"I see." Principal Kieler said sternly. "Then you give me no choice but to suspend you." He said stated.

"I punched her because she is a snot nosed little bitch." Sam snapped back.

Brooke's mouth dropped. This was not part of the plan.

She had assumed that with her presence Sam would have felt comfortable enough to share her side of the story.

"You will not use that kind of language in this school. I will be adding another day onto your suspension." Principal Saunders stated sternly.

"Whatever. Do whatever the hell you want. I don't care!" Sam snapped back.

"Samantha!" Brooke scolded. "That's enough.." She said with a stern look to her foster daughter.

Sam sat back in her chair and crossed her arms in defeat.

"I believe we are finished here." Brooke said standing from her chair. "I appreciate you taking the time to talk with me. I will be speaking with Sam regarding today's events and her use of appropriate language in the school." Brooke said eyeing Sam's defensive behaviour in the chair beside her.

Sam rolled her eyes and walked out of the office.

"I apologize for her behaviour, she has never acted out like this." Brooke said honestly.

"Not a problem . Thank you for coming in. Please call us with any updates to the story." He said guiding her out of the office.

"Let's go." Brooke said as she walked out of the office to find Sam on the bench.

"I don't want to go with you." Sam spat back.

"Sam, what is going on with you?" Brooke said calmly bending down to her level.

"Nothing!" Sam snapped back with a hint of emotion in her voice.

"You're going to have to do better than that. Sam. Listen. I know something is up, please talk to me?" She pleaded one last time.

"I don't want to talk to you!" Sam shouted. "Leave me alone!" She said and ran down the hallway.

"Sam!" Brooke called.

Brooke chased after her until catching up with her just before the parking lot doors.

"Sam, stop!" Brooke said reaching for Sam's hand, so that she couldn't run off again.

"No!" Sam said attempting to wiggle free.

"Samantha! Enough!" Brooke yelled louder than she expected to which caused Sam to freeze.

She hadn't yelled at Sam before this moment, there hadn't been cause to. Brooke was quickly losing her patients.

Brooke bent down to Sam's level and spoke sternly as she explained what was about to happen.

"We are going to go out to the car, you are not going to run off, yell, or give me any more attitude. Is that understood?" She said sternly. Sam simply looked off to the side as Brooke spoke.

Sam rolled her eyes and walked ahead to the parking lot.

Brooke took a deep breath before following Sam out to the car.

Brooke opened the back door to her SUV as Sam climbed in. She closed the door and got into the front seat.

"Everything okay Sammy?" Millie asked with concern.

Sam simply looked out of the window with her arms crossed.

"Sorry Millie, Sam's not exactly in the talking mood." Brooke said as she started the car and eyed her foster child in the rearview mirror.

"Seatbelt." Brooke said sternly.

Millie watched the stare down between Sam and Brooke for a moment.

Brooke rose her eyebrow as Sam's eyes met Brooke in the mirror.

Sam reluctantly reached for her seatbelt and clipped it into the holder.

Millie watched the scene unfold between Sam and Brooke with confusion.

 *******One Tree Hill*******

"Maybe we should reschedule?" Millie asked.

"No, this shoot has been booked for weeks. We can't cancel this last minute." Brooke explained. "Sam can sit in my office and cool off for a while." Brooke said as she drove in the direction of the clothes over bro's.

Sam listened to the conversation that was happening in the front seat. She did feel bad about snapping on Brooke the way she did, but she felt that Brooke was taking the principal's side. She didn't understand that Brooke was trying to stand up for her back at the school. She was the one being bullied. And she was getting in trouble for it? This sucked.

Plus, she was afraid if she did tell her story that somehow it would get back to those girls, as it had the day before when she had told Mr. Green that they had stolen chocolate milk from another students lunch.

All in all it hadn't been a great day for Sam, and she just wanted it to be over.

"Okay, we're here." Brooke said. "I'll meet you inside Millie." Brooke nodded.

"Got it." Millie said stepping out of the car.

"Listen Sam, I understand that you are upset. We are going to have a long talk when we get home, but right now I have an important shoot for the cover that is going to reveal the new line. I am going to set you up in the office. It shouldn't be too long." Brooke explained.

Brooke turned back to face Sam in the back seat.

Sam avoided eye contact and remained silent with her emotions getting the best of her.

"Honey, I wish you would talk to me, so that I could understand. I am here Sam, I want to listen." Brooke said noticing a tear fall from Sam's cheek.

"Can we just go inside?" Sam asked.

"Yes, but I need you to promise me that you are going to be able to hang out in my office for a little while? Brooke asked.

"I will, okay. Can we just go please." Sam said with frustration.

"Not before you take a deep breath, and calm down." Brooke said calmly.

Sam looked up in Brooke's direction.

"It's okay for you to be upset Sam. It's okay for you to be angry, but it's not okay for you to take it out on others." Brooke said calmly.

Sam nodded.

"Okay, are you ready to go inside?" Brooke asked.

Sam nodded once again.

"Alright then." Brooke smiled and headed inside with Sam.

 *******One Tree Hill*******

"Water?" Millie asked as she opened the mini fridge in Brooke's office.

Sam didn't speak.

"You're right. I'm more of a juice person myself." Millie smirked placing an orange juice on Brooke's desk for Sam and took one for herself.

Millie sat on the couch opposite to Sam and drank her orange juice.

"So?" Millie asked. "How are things?" She asked.

Sam continued to remain silent.

"Oh. So that's how it's going to be huh?" Millie joked trying to get something from Sam, even a small smile.

That's okay. I'll be here if you want to talk." Millie said with a smile.

Sam still remained silent looking around Brooke's office as she sat behind her desk.

Millie began to think about her nails absentmindedly as she spoke.

"You know Sam. I know that whatever happened today has you pretty upset, so I know that it must have been a big deal." Millie said as she continued to look at her nails.

"Sometimes it's hard to talk about what's bothering us, and it's easier to bottle it all up." Millie continued.

Sam still remained silent, but she was taking in what Millie was saying. But of course she couldn't give the tough guy act up yet.

"But sometimes learning to talk about what's going on is part of growing up, and being mature. Which I know you are. You are by far one of the most mature 9 year olds I know!" Millie laughed slightly.

"So. We can choose to sit here in silence, or we can talk about it like two mature adults. Your choice." Millie smiled looking up to see if this was having any effect on Sam.

She knew that the girl wanted to be considered an adult more than anything. She was mature beyond her years and liked having these types of talks with Millie. Sometimes Sam liked to pretend that Millie was her own assistant- of course she would never admit that. She just wanted to be like Brooke, and Millie was Brooke's wing-women for just about everything these days.

"That's all I wanted to say." Millie shrugged with a smile sitting back in her chair.

 *******One Tree Hill*******

"Brooke, a little up and to the left." The photographer directed.

"Is this okay?" Brooke asked adjusting her position in one of the dresses from the new line.

Music played in the background as flashes filled the room and several employees assisted in the shoot.

"Perfect." They said taking a few more shots as flashes filled the room.

"Guys can we wrap this up soon?" Brooke asked stepping off the photo set as one of her designers handed her another dress.

"Of course Ms. Davis, just a few more shots in the fall collection." He said.

"Perfect." Brooke smiled.

 *******One Tree Hill*******

Sam had been sitting with her arms crossed in Brooke's chair for almost 15 minutes now in silence.

She thought it was time to at least entertain a conversation with Millie. I mean what else were they going to do. Brooke was taking forever! She thought to herself.

"I punched a girl in the face.." Sam admitted so quietly you could have barely heard it. Still not looking in Millie's direction.

"I see.." Millie said. "Why would you do that?" She asked.

"She was.. Just. She was being a bitch." Sam stated. "She wouldn't leave me alone.." Sam added.

"Alright, let's keep it PG here." Millie smirked referring to Sam's choice of adjective. "Why wouldn't she leave you alone?" Millie asked with concern.

"She never does. Her and these other girls. They're always ragging on me." Sam admitted.

"Have you talked to anyone about it?" Millie asked well knowing the answer.

"Well. No." Sam admitted. "But I tried. Yesterday. And they found out I told someone." She said.

"I see.." Millie nodded. "Is that why they wouldn't leave you alone today?" She asked.

"Yeah.." Sam admitted.

"Oh Sam. I'm sorry." Millie offered.

"Don't feel sorry for me!" Sam snapped back. "I don't need anyone to feel sorry for me! I'm so sick of not being normal." Sam sighed.

"Sam, that's not what I meant." Millie said. "And no one is normal. Everyone is different in their own way." She said.

"Not like me.." Sam sighed.

"Why do you say that?" Millie asked.

"Cause I'm a foster kid. I'm just a freak who doesn't have parents." Sam admitted quietly.

"Samantha. You are not a freak." Millie said with concern.

"Your just saying that.." Sam shrugged off.

Millie thought for a moment.

"You know. People call me a freak to sometimes?" Millie offered.

Sam looked up

"It's true. I was bullied a lot in school. People didn't like my glasses, or the fact that I actually enjoyed school." Millie said reflecting on her own school days. "They used to call me a freak because I liked to learn, and said that I was a nerd and the teachers pet." She said.

Sam frowned slightly at the thought that anyone would think Millie was a freak. She was actually pretty cool in Sam's eyes.

"The truth is, it used to bother me a lot and I didn't have many friends growing up." Millie said.

Sam nodded.

"And sometimes I would even purposefully fail my school assignments just so they would leave me alone. I tried to wear contacts for a while too." Millie said.

"Did they leave you alone after that?" Sam asked.

"No, not really." Millie admitted.

"But I did spend a lot of time trying to change myself, and become someone who I wasn't just so I could fit in." Millie said.

"Did it ever get better?" Sam asked.

"It did." Millie smiled. "It all changed the day that I chose to stop letting others make me feel like I was a freak for being different." Millie said.

"But how?" Sam asked.

"Well, I started being proud of my grades and stopped trying to dumb myself down to fit in with everyone else, I started wearing my glasses again, and I didn't let what they said get to me anymore. I ignored them." Millie said. "Because I knew that being a freak was just who I was and I liked myself." Millie said.

Sam smiled. "I kind of like that you're a freak too." She said with a small laugh.

"And now look where I am. Working for one of the best fashion designers in the country. And where are they? Who knows." Millie smiled.

"Brooke?" Sam smiled.

Millie nodded.

"And Brooke didn't think that I was a freak, now did she?" Millie asked.

Sam nodded.

"Thanks Millie." Sam smiled.

"Anytime." Millie smiled. "From one freak to another, embrace it. Because everything that makes you a freak makes you who you are. And you are by far the best freak I've ever met." Millie said with a wink.

"Thanks.." Sam laughed.

"So, how about we go see what a cover shoot looks like huh?" Millie asked.

Sam nodded.

 *******One Tree Hill*******

"Beautiful Brooke!" The photographer said. "Just one more from that angle... Prefect!" He said snapping a few more photos.

Brooke noticed Sam and Millie standing off to the side in the corner of her eye.

She looked over into Millie's direction with concern, but Millie simply smiled and nodded.

"And who is this exquisite little creature." The main photographer pointed out after seeing the eye contact being made between Brooke and Sam.

Sam smirked.

"She's just fabulous! How about a few shots?" Estabon asked with a wink towards Brooke.

Sam looked at Brooke for confirmation.

"If you want to Sam." Brooke smiled.

Sam nodded.

"What's your name beautiful?" Estabon asked.

"Sam.." She said shyly.

"Well Sam. You are the perfect model. Go ahead strike a few poses." Estabon said as the staff couldn't help but smile at the interaction.

"Come on Sam, we can take some together." Brooke smiled

Sam nodded.

As the music played in the background both Sam and Brooke struck a few poses at first with Sam following Brooke's direction and then as the photographers made them feel more comfortable things began to get a bit more silly.

"Sam! What is your favourite thing in the world? Go!" Estabon asked with a smile.

"Um.." Sam giggled as she looked up at Brooke.

"What's your favourite thing?" Brooke smiled.

"Icecream!" Sam said as it was the first thing to come into her mind.

"Okay. Just think! All of the ice-cream in the world just became free for whatever flavour you want all day long!" Estabon said with excitement.

Sam smiled.

"It's raining ice-cream! Go ahead and dance in it!" He said loudly over the music.

Brooke and Sam began to laugh as they tried to impersonate themselves dancing in the ice-cream.

"Beautiful!"

Flash, flash, flash!

Millie watched with a smile on her face as Brooke and Sam danced around the set laughing as their photos were being taken.

"Alright. I think that's a wrap. Can we please get a round of applause for our two beautiful models, Sam, and Brooke." Estabon called out.

Applause and cheers filled the room as the photographers closed their camera lenses.

Sam looked up at Brooke who smiled as she wrapped her arms around her foster daughter.

In that moment. Everything from the day had faded away and she was happy to have this moment with Brooke.

"I'm glad you're feeling better." Brooke smiled.

"Me too." Sam admitted.

"We'll talk when we get home, okay?" Brooke said.

Sam nodded. After her talk with Millie, Sam felt okay about talking with her about what had happened.

They collected their things from clothes over bro's, and headed home shortly after.

Brooke was anxious to talk with Sam to find out what had really happened at school today, but something told her that it would be relating to what she had read in her journal that same morning.

 *******One Tree Hill*******

 **What did everyone think! I'm excited to hear your thoughts and ideas for future chapters!**

 **How should Brooke handle this situation? Do you think Sam will tell her what is really going on?**

 **Please share your ideas! I will update soon!**

 **-Sam**


	6. Chapter 6: This is your Home

**Hello Lovely Readers!**

 **Thank you so much for** **all of your amazing reviews! I** **really do** **love hearing your thoughts on the story and new ideas!**

 **I** **hope you** **enjoy this update!**

Chapter 6: This is your Home

After arriving home, Brooke and Sam sat down in the living room for a chat.

"Okay, Sam. I think it's time we talk, about today?" Brooke asked.

Sam just nodded.

"You were pretty upset earlier, how are you feeling now?" Brooke asked.

"I'm okay." Sam said.

"Honey, I know that what those girls said to you was hurtful. I know that you were defending yourself." Brooke explained.

"You do?" Sam said looking up.

"Mhm.. I do." Brooke said.

"But why were you so mad at me that the school?" Sam asked.

"I wasn't mad Sam. I was just trying to understand what was happening. I was more frustrated with the principal than anything. I didn't think you had been given a fair chance to explain your side of the story." Brooke said.

"But.. You. You yelled at me." Sam said with some emotion.

"I know. I was only trying to get you to calm down and not to run off again. Not because I was mad about the fight." Brooke explained.

"Oh..." Sam said.

"Is that why you kept running off? You thought I was upset with you." Brooke asked.

Sam nodded.

"I thought you were just going to send me back.." Sam mumbled. "That's what happens when I fight. Then the parents think I'm too violent and send me back.." Sam

Explained.

"Samantha. I am not sending you anywhere. I know you are not violent." Brooke reassured.

"Sam, you know that what those girls were saying to you is untrue, yes?" Brooke asked.

Sam nodded.

"That is bullying Sam. And you need to tell someone when it is happening rather than waiting until things escalate into a fight." Brooke said.

"I'm not being bullied." Sam insisted.

"Are you sure, Sam?" Brooke asked. "Because if you were, I would hope that you would be able to tell me... I need to know these things." Brooke said.

Sam just avoided eye contact.

"Sometimes it's hard to talk about- and even tell someone. But I can help, we can make sure that the bullying stops- and that those who are bullying you are held accountable for their actions." Brooke said.

"I'm not being bullied!" Sam said with a slightly raised voice.

Brooke was taken a bit back by Sam's tone, and defensiveness around the topic.

"Sam..." Brooke began calmly.

"I'm not okay! Will you just leave it alone! Being bullied just means you're weak. And I'm not weak! I can stand up for myself!" Sam said with a hint of emotion building up inside of her.

"Samantha. Being bullied does not mean you're weak." Brooke said in a quiet and raspy tone.

"Yes it does! It just means that they pick on you because you can't stand up for yourself. And even if I was- I could handle it myself. But I'm not. And I'm not a little kid. I can take care of myself!" Sam insisted.

Brooke sighed.

She needed to get to the bottom of this, but she had to get Sam to open up to her. Brooke stood up and walked into Sam's bedroom.

Sam watched with curiosity as Brooke walked out of the living room.

Brooke returned holding one of Sam's journals.

"What are you doing with my journal?" Sam asked.

"I want you to explain something to me." Brooke said opening to the page she had read earlier that morning. She then handed the book to Sam.

"It's just a story I'm working on, so what?" Sam said. "It's not finished yet." She explained.

"Sam.." Brooke sighed. "I know that you use your story's to describe things that are going on in your life." Brooke explained.

"Not this one.." Sam said closing the book. "It's about... Someone else." She said. "Plus, why are you reading through my journal." She said becoming defensive.

"I noticed it opened on your bedside table this morning when I was putting a few of your clothes away. I didn't read anything, but that page, I promise." Brooke explained.

"You shouldn't have read it at all!" Sam yelled. "This is my journal!" Sam said.

"You've never had a problem with me reading any of your other stories, why is this one so different?" Brooke asked well knowing the reason.

"Because!" Sam yelled.

"Because why Sam?" Brooke asked.

"Leave me alone! I don't want to talk to you anymore!" Sam said throwing her journal to the ground in anger and crossing her arms.

Brooke jumped at the sound of the book hitting the hardwood floor.

"Sam. I think you need to go cool off in your room for a little while." Brooke said calmly.

"No.." Sam insisted still with her arms crossed.

"Sam.." Brooke warned.

Sam didn't budge.

"Maybe you need to go cool off in your room and think about respecting other people's privacy.." Sam sassed.

"Samantha. I am not doing this tonight. Let's go. I'm no longer asking you. I am telling you." Brooke said sternly.

Sam still didn't budge.

"Sam. I'm going to count to three, I understand you are upset with me right now, but you need to take some time to calm down so we can talk about this." Brooke said.

"One." Brooke said.

"Two." Brooke said looking down at Sam who still remained with her arms crossed.

"Sam. I'm not playing." Brooke said sternly.

"Three.." Brooke said.

"Make me.." Sam mumbled under her breath. This type of defiance was unusual for Sam. Brooke had not once sent Sam to her room in the entire time that she had been in Brooke's care. However, Brooke knew it was only because she was hurting. She had to get to the bottom of this and if a little tough love was needed to get her to open up. Then that's what she was going to do.

"Alright. Have it your way..." Brooke said ending the stand off between them by gently taking Sam's hand and guiding her off the couch.

Sam resisted with as much force as she could and pulled back against Brooke's grip.

"Let me go!" Sam yelled flailing back and forth to get away from Brooke's grasp.

"You chose to not go by yourself, so I am helping you get there." Brooke said calmly as she could as she held onto Sam.

Sam almost managed to wiggle free as they were even further away from Sam's bedroom as when they started due to her resistance.

Brooke had enough. She quickly let go of Sam's arm and wrapped both of hers around her and lifted her off the ground carrying her to the bedroom.

"Put me down! Put me down!" Sam yelled, tears beginning to fall. It has now turned into a full blown temper tantrum. Brooke was not entirely surprised by the outburst and remained calm walking into Sam's bedroom despite the kicking and screaming.

Once they had reached Sam's room. Brooke placed her on the ground.

"I am going to set a timer for 9 minutes, when that timer beeps and you feel that you have calmed down enough- you may come out." Brooke said over Sam's yelling.

"No! I'm not staying in here." Sam yelled. "Leave me alone!" She said punching Brooke in the stomach several times, not hard- but Brooke could see the anger and emotion that was pouring out of Sam's little body with every punch.

Brooke's heart broke at the sight but she also knew that Sam needed a parent right now more than anything, so she remained firm.

"Samantha. That's enough." Brooke said catching her hands.

Tears poured down Sam's red face and messy hair from her flailing all over the place.

"Samantha, I understand you are upset. But I am not going to tolerate a tantrum. I am setting the timer now- you are to remain in your bedroom, is that understood?" Brooke asked.

"I don't need a time-out!" Sam yelled at the top of her lungs.

"I will be back in 9 minutes." Brooke said as a final point before leaving the room and closing the door behind her.

Brooke took a deep breath and stood outside of Sam's door. She was sure that the girl would try to run out of the room any moment- but after a few moments she decided to sit at the breakfast bar.

This was the first time that she had ever had to give Sam a time-out and it was killing her- but, she knew that Sam needed it.

She had seen Haley give Jamie a time-out once or twice, so she was basing her tactics on that experience as she really didn't know how to handle this.

She wasn't expecting a full blown tantrum from her almost 10 hear old- however Sam had been known to bottle up her hurt and anger to the point of explosion- normally she would run away, so I guess this is a step up. She thought to herself still hearing the subtle sounds of angry cries from Sam's bedroom.

Sam continued to yell and hit the other side of her door a couple of times out of frustration.

Sam opened the door a few seconds later and began to walk out. She was determined to wear Brooke down; she was testing her. Getting to know her true limits. It was normal.

Unfortunately for Sam- Brooke didn't have a tendency to give up easily. Or at all. If she wanted to play hard ball, Brooke was up for the challenge.

Brooke sat up from the kitchen bar stool and guided Sam back into her room and got down to her level.

"Sam, I will start the timer over again each time you choose to leave your bedroom." Brooke said calmly standing back up and closing the door behind her.

Again Sam began to hit the other side of the door.

"I don't care if you start the timer over!" Sam screamed through her cries. "You don't love me! Nobody loves me! That's why you're leaving me in here!" She cried.

Brooke's heart broke at Sam's cries but she had to stay firm with what she had said. She couldn't give in now.

Brooke started the timer over again and sat down.

Sam ran out of her room not even a moment later and Brooke repeated the same process. But this time didn't say a word. Simply guided Sam back into her bedroom. She wasn't going to give into this game.

Brooke started the timer again and sat back down.

Again, Sam left her bedroom and this time ran into Brooke's room slamming the door behind her.

Brooke took a deep breath. "Okay Brooke. You got this. She's only testing you." She said as a mantra to herself as she opened her bedroom door to find Sam ripping the blankets and sheets from Brooke's bed.

Brooke held a firm grip on Sam's arm and lead her back to the room.

She sat in the kitchen rubbing her temples. It had been over 20 minutes of this. She couldn't take this much longer-quite honestly Brooke felt that she was about to have a tantrum herself.

"Why do you hate me!" Sam cried. "Just let me out!" Sam cried from behind the door.

Brooke was expecting her to run out again, but, she didn't. Several moments passed as Brooke continued to stare at the bedroom door. Waiting.

"I'm sorry! I won't leave anymore!" Sam cried. "I don't want to be alone anymore! Please!" Sam yelled.

Brooke felt a few tears drop from her left eye, and wiped them away.

She looked down at the timer.

8:00 minutes.

"Come on Sam, one more minute. Please..." She prayed to herself.

"Brooke! Please! I want to come out! I'm sorry for hitting you and yelling! I didn't mean to!" Sam cried.

Brooke didn't respond and held strong for the next 30 seconds.

"Mama..." Sam cried.

That one fully broke Brooke. She headed for Sam's bedroom and opened the door as Sam jumped into her arms.

"Shh. Baby, I'm right here." Brooke said rubbing soft circles on her back.

"I'm sorry.." Sam cried into Brooke's arms.

"I know honey. It's okay." Brooke said sitting down with Sam on her bed.

Sam continued to cry for a few moments until she started to calm down and catch up with her breathing.

"Sam, do you know how long that took?" Brooke asked still running her back.

"Too long.." Sam cried.

"Almost an hour. Sweetheart it would have only taken 9 minutes if you would have listened to me and stayed in your room to calm down." She explained.

"I didn't know you meant it.. I thought you would just forget about it." Sam admitted now calm.

"I know you did." Brooke said. "Why did you think that?" Brooke asked now playing with her hair.

"Because everyone else just gives up, sends me back, or hits me.." Sam said quietly.

"Well. I can promise you. I will never, ever, do those things- or give up on you." Brooke assured.

"I know." Sam nodded.

"I know you were very upset Sam, but throwing a full blown tantrum is not the answer- at least if you don't want to be spending a whole lot more time in your bedroom." Brooke explained.

Sam nodded. "I'm sorry I hit you.." Sam added. "Did it hurt?" She asked with disappointment lingering in her voice.

"Not as much as hearing your cries and the things you were saying.." Brooke said honestly. "It breaks my heart to see you so upset Sam. I love you so much, and I want you to believe that- but I understand that sometimes you need a reminder of just how much I love you and that I will never give up on you." She said as she added a kiss onto Sam's forehead.

"I love you to Brooke." Sam said leaning on her chest as she played with her hair.

"So, back to our original conversation.." Brooke said.

Sam thought for a moment.

"They've been bullying me for a few months. It was okay at first-

But now they won't leave me alone all day. That's why the fight happened. I was just so mad I exploded." Sam admitted.

"Thank you for telling me Sam." Brooke said thankfully.

"Please don't tell anyone..." Sam pleaded.

"Why?" Brooke asked.

"Because it will just make things worse.." Sam admitted.

"Sam. Telling someone will not make it worse. We are going to get this all straightened out- and I promise you. Those girls won't be a problem for you again." Brooke reassured.

"Brooke I already tried to tell, I told Mr. Green that they had stolen some chocolate milk from another girls lunch." Sam explained. "But then they found out and it just got worse." Sam said.

"I'm sorry that happened to Sam, and it shouldn't have. I am going to sort all of this out. I promise." Brooke said.

"Brooke, please don't." Sam begged.

"Sam, do you trust me?" Brooke asked.

Sam nodded.

"Well then trust me on this too. I promise I will handle it and those girls won't bother you anymore." Brooke said.

Sam yawned.

"I bet that took a lot out of you, huh?" Brooke laughed slightly.

Sam smirked.

"I am going to have a shower, and then how about we snuggle up and watch a movie?" Brooke asked.

Sam nodded.

"Okay, I'll be right back." Brooke said heading into the bathroom.

 ******One Tree Hill******

"Okay Sam, I'm ready-" she said walking into the hallway and noticing Sam making her bed.

"Yeah! I'm just making your bed first." Sam said. "I'm sorry I wrecked it." She admitted quietly.

"Thank you Honey." Brooke said as her heart melted. Truthfully she had forgotten about the bed but the fact that Sam wanted to correct her mistakes made her heart burst with pride.

"Sam. I think we need to talk before the movie." Brooke said.

Sam nodded as Brooke sat down beside her on the bed.

"About what?" Sam asked looking up at Brooke.

"Well, I think we need to set up some family rules, just so we're both on the same page, and you know what I expect from you. What do you think?" Brooke asked.

Sam nodded. She was actually surprised that Brooke had waited this long. She was used to getting a long list of rules as soon as she walked into a family's home, most of them she broke of course just trying to see how far she could push someone before they would give up on her.

Sadly that happened too often for Sam in the past and she had been stuck in this routine of trying to get everyone to give up on her. She thought it was easier to push people away, then to actually let them in, and feel a family's love.

Sam nodded in response to Brooke.

"Okay, what do you think are some good rules for us?" Brooke asked.

Sam thought for a moment.

"Um. Maybe, no yelling- at least at someone." Sam said.

"That's good." Brooke said.

"What do you think?" Sam asked.

"Well, I would say no hitting." Brooke added.

Sam looked down slightly. Well. She had already broken that one today.

"Hey. It's okay. That's why we're making the rules." Brooke said lifting Sam's chin. "I'm not upset with you Sam." She said honestly.

Sam nodded.

"How about, tell the truth." Sam said.

"I like that one. That's important." Brooke said taking out a piece of paper and writing the list down they had created.

"How about.. Apologize when you've made a mistake, and forgive others when they have made one." Brooke asked.

Sam nodded. "I like the forgiveness one." She said.

"Can we have.. It's okay to make mistakes, but try to make them right." Sam asked.

"Of course!" Brooke said writing it down.

"Choose kindness? Even when it's hard?" Brooke offered.

Sam agreed.

"Okay last one!" Brooke said.

"What's it going to be?" Sam asked.

"Have fun, laugh a lot, and be silly." Brooke said with a smile.

Sam laughed.

"I like our rules." Sam said. "They are way better than the ones in my other homes..." She sighed.

"What kinds of rules did you have at your other homes?" Brooke asked hoping Sam would open up a little bit about her past.

"Well, I usually had to stay in my room a lot. And do a lot of chores and take care of the younger kids." She said. "One time the Smiths made me clean out all the gutters on the roof because I took a snack from the cupboard." Sam said like it was no big deal.

"Because you took a snack?" Brooke asked with confusion.

"Mhm.." Sam nodded. "I was only allowed to eat certain things, and I took a snack that wasn't from the foster kid cupboard." She said.

"They made you clean all of the room gutters for having a snack?" Brooke said with concern.

Sam nodded.

"I shouldn't have done it." She shrugged. "I knew better." She said. "But I wasn't getting it for me, I was getting it for Sadie because they had sent her to bed without supper. They used to do that a lot too." She said.

"They used to say 'foster kids should be seen but not heard.' all the time. They were only nice to us when our workers came for a house visit and would threaten to hit us if we said anything." Sam said.

Brooke's heart hurt. She felt a tear fall from her cheek. Sure her childhood was no walk in the park with Victoria as her mother, but she was never treated badly, or punished for having a snack for crying out loud.

"Sam.. You know that you are allowed to have a snack here right? I would never, ever get upset with you over that." Brooke said with hope.

Sam nodded.

"Um.. Brooke." Sam said. "I have to tell you something." She admitted.

"Well, because we have these rules now and one of them is being honest, I want to tell you." She said.

Brooke nodded. "It's okay Sam. Go ahead." She said.

"I've been. Um.." Sam said nervously.

"Sam, you can tell me, it's okay" Brooke encouraged. "Whatever it is, I'm not upset with you. We will work it out." She said.

"Can I show you something?" Sam asked.

Brooke nodded and followed Sam to her room.

Sam opened the bottom drawer of her dresser and revealed a small stock pile of food, including some snacks, fruit, and juice boxes.

Brooke's heart broke. Did Sam think that she couldn't eat? What had she done wrong. She thought to herself.

"I'm so sorry." Sam said starting to cry. "I took all of this food from the cupboard." She said.

"Sam, honey." Brooke said crouching down to her level.

"I'm not upset. It's okay." She said wrapping her arms around the girl.

"I. I didn't mean to. I'm sorry." She said through her hiccups.

"Sam you don't need to be sorry." Brooke said letting her own tears fall. "This food is yours, just as much as it is mine." She explained.

"But I didn't ask." Sam said calming down.

"You didn't have to." Brooke said rubbing her back.

"Here, let's put all this stuff back in the cupboard, and you can take any of it whenever you want to. Okay?" She said.

"Okay." Sam nodded helping Brooke take the food into the kitchen.

Brooke took out a label from the drawer and wrote 'Sam's Cupboard' on it placing it on the outside of the cupboard for Sam to see.

"See!" Brooke said with a smile pointing at the label.

Sam smiled.

Brooke stepped into her bedroom and grabbed the list of rules that they had created and posted them on the fridge. "There, our family rules are here too." She said.

"Brooke?" Sam asked.

"Yes?" She said.

"What happens if I break a rule? Does that mean I go back?" She asked.

"No Baby. Never." Brooke said walking over to the couch with Sam to sit down.

"I don't want you to think I am ever going to ask you to leave. This is your home now Sam and it's going to be that was as long as you want it to be. Okay?" Brooke said.

Sam nodded.

"If you break one of our rules, we will just talk about it, we will learn as we go." Brooke explained.

"Will I get another time-out?" Sam asked.

"Well, it would depend on what happened. The thing is that it's more of a cool off time for you to calm down when you are upset." Brooke said.

"I don't like it." Sam said.

"I noticed." Brooke said with a slight chuckle.

"You and I will have a talk, and if there needs to be a consequence, it will be a time-out, or I will take something away, restrict a privilege or ground you." Brooke explained truly not knowing we're this was coming from. Most likely filtered information she had heard from Haley over the years.

"But I will never hurt you, or hit you." Brooke promised. "I am sorry you had to go through that in the past Sam, but this is a safe home, you will never be hurt in this house as a punishment." She said.

Sam nodded.

"Do you have any other questions?" Brooke asked with a warm smile.

"What movie are we watching?" Sam said with a smile.

Brooke laughed.

"Let's see.." She said turning the TV on and logged into Netflix.

Shortly after they had started the movie Sam had fallen asleep wrapped in a blanket and leaning against Brooke.

Brooke didn't have the heart to wake her, she looked so sweet and innocent. She was going to soak up every moment that she could of this. It just felt right. Everything had come together for Brooke. This was everything she could have ever wanted.

Despite the earlier events of the day, Brooke had forgotten all about that. She sat for a few moments just reflecting before lifting Sam off the couch and into her bedroom.

She tucked her into her bed and lifted the covers. Kissing her forehead, she left Sam's bedroom.

Brooke went and sat out on the kitchen island and pulled out her phone checking her emails before bed.

A text message alert popped up on Brooke's phone.

"Victoria?" Brooke said opening the text with confusion.

'We need to talk. Now.' Victoria sent.

Brooke rolled her eyes. "Just what I need. A mother daughter conversation with the devil." She said through a sigh as she dialled her mother's number.

"Hello?" Victoria answered.

"To what to I owe this pleasure?" Brooke asked with venom in her voice.

"I need you back at the company. Full-time. Enough of this Oprah Annie business." Victoria said. "You have been slacking off in your work and I refuse to run this entire place on my own." Victoria snapped.

"Could have fooled me." Brooke snapped back.

"I mean it Brooke. Enough of this madness. You are a world class fashion designer, not an orphanage! I know what's best for you. This is going to far. It's just... Tacky." She said.

"Tacky?" Brooke laughed. "I am perfectly happy with my life thank you, and last time I checked you could care less about what was best for me?" Brooke snapped.

"You are to come back to New York immediately." Victoria said. "Tree Hill is not a place for a fashion designer. I am closing the store. I will see you next week." Victoria said.

"Um. No?" Brooke said as if her mother had lost her mind. "I am perfectly fine living my life in Tree Hill, and running the store here. I will not be returning to New York." She said.

"Hmm. We will see about that." She said as a final point.

"I guess we will." Brooke snapped back. "Now if you don't mind. I have several morning meetings, and I have to get to bed." She said.

"Sweet Dreams Brooke. Enjoy this little fairy tale your living for the time being." She said as a final point before hanging up.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean." Brooke mumbled as she headed into her bedroom.

Brooke set her alarms for the morning and drifted off to sleep.

Surely the next few weeks would prove to be interesting to say the least.

 ******One Tree Hill******

 **Uh-Oh! Victoria sure seems to be stirring something up, as usual. What do you think she's planning?**

 **How do you think Brooke handled the situation with Sam's tantrum? And her hoarding food? Poor girl. She's just so used to being thrown from home to home. It's a good thing she has Brooke now.**

 **I'll update as soon!**

 **Please Reivew!**


	7. Chapter 7: Take Your Kid to Work Day

**Hello Lovely Readers,**

 **I know it has been an eternity! I'm so sorry about that. I am planning on updating this story more over the next few weeks and try to fit some writing time into my busy schedule! Thank you for sticking with this story even though updates have been quite spaced out!**

 **I hope you enjoy! Please review with storyline ideas, I would LOVE to read them, and incorporate them! Also it may inspire an entire chapter, therefore more updates!**

Chapter 7: Take Your Kid to Work Day

"Good morning!" Brooke called throwing open Sam's curtains with a smirk at the young girls reaction.

"Brooke!" Sam gasped throwing a pillow over her head blocking the light.

"Shake a leg little lady." Brooke laughed. "You're coming to work with me today!" She said opening Sam's closet putting together an outfit.

"I can pick out my own clothes, you know." Sam pointed outstanding from her bed as she rolled her eyes.

"Okay, Sass Monster." Brooke grinned mimicking a car hissing. "Someone sure isn't a morning person." She laughed.

"No. I'm not." Sam said walking towards the closet. "Especially not at 7:00 am!" Sam called as Brooke left the room with a grin.

"Well. Someone shouldn't have gotten herself suspended yesterday for fighting now should she?" She laughed.

"Not fair." Sam huffed.

"Life isn't fair sweetheart." She winked as she headed into the kitchen.

 ******One Tree Hill******

"What are we going to do today?" Sam asked from the backseat as Brooke drove towards the store.

"Well, we have a meeting with our main fashion consultant, then I am going to put together the last touch on the final sketches for the new line.." Brooke said as she turned to park the car at the store.

She put the car into park and looked into the rearview mirror looking at Sam. "And then I thought we could look at a few of your designs and go visit our supplier to get some materials. Maybe you and Millie could work on a few pieces?" She asked well knowing how much Sam would love that.

"Really? You mean it?" Sam gasped.

"I do." Brooke smiled exiting the car as Sam quickly followed.

"But first, we need coffee." Brooke smiled as she took Sam's hand and walked towards Starbucks.

"Doesn't Millie usually get the coffee?" Sam asked looking up towards Brooke.

"She does. But today's she has an appointment, so I'm getting my own." She smiled looking down at the observant girl.

"Oh okay." Sam said. "So you don't have an assistant until she gets here?" Sam asked.

"Well. I have you." Brooke winked. "And you are the best assistant anyone could ask for." She smiled.

"Wait, I can be your assistant?" Sam smiled at the thought.

"You're officially hired." Brooke laughed shaking Sam's hand as they walked up to the register.

Sam quickly stepped forward.

"Hello." The small girl said looking up at the barista.

"Hello there." The girl said. "What can I get for you?" She said with a small laugh.

"Ms. Davis will have a grande non-fat latte. No foam." She said smartly as Brooke laughed.

"Anything else?" The barista laughed.

Sam thought for a moment looking towards the desert case.

"Well. I'm not really allowed to have coffee, even though I like it. With lots of sugar." Sam explained looking back at Brooke with a glare well knowing she wouldn't allow it. Rightfully so. No nine year old should be drinking coffee, with or without that much sugar.

"So I'll take a cake pop.." Sam added looking back at Brooke with a smile.

"Is that everything?" She asked taking the cake pop from the case.

"Yes." Sam said.

"Okay. That will be $4.50" she said.

Sam looked back at Brooke.

"Can I have your visa, Ms. Davis?" Sam asked very professionally.

"Well. Of course." Brooke laughed. "But my assistant usually just buys the coffee with her own." She laughed handing her the card to swipe.

"Well, I'm not old enough for that yet." She said swiping the card as Brooke laughed.

"Okay, your drink will be waiting down at the end." She said with a smile.

"Thank you, have a nice day." Sam smiled.

"Hey, how did you know my order?" Brooke asked curiously. "Well, I've heard you ask Millie for one enough times, and plus you're a little predictable." Sam said with a shrug. "I know you don't like the foam because it makes your teeth feel funny." She said.

"Huh.." Brooke said surprised that Sam paid that much attention. But like they say, children are sponges.

"Brooke." The barista called handing her the cup with a smile.

"Thank you." Broke smiled. "Ready?" She asked looking down at Sam.

Sam nodded and headed out of the coffee shop holding the door for Brooke.

"Right this way Ms. Davis.." Sam said gesturing her hand through the door.

Brooke laughed. She could get used to this.

 ******One Tree Hill******

"Sam?" Brooke said leaving her office after her meeting.

"Yes." Sam responded walking towards Brooke.

"How's it going out here?" She asked with a smile as Sam was organizing the front desk.

"Great. I was just organizing the front desk, and someone called and asked about shipping costs, I told them that we only ship to the United States for free, but other countries there may be a fee and to check the website for sure." Sam explained.

"Oh, really.." Brooke said. "Emma?" She said looked over to one of her employee's with slight concern.

"She insisted." Emma laughed.

Brooke looked back down at Sam.

"What?" Sam asked. "That's what assistants do. Right?" She said.

"Right." Brooke nodded with a smile. "Just make sure Emma is screening the calls as well, just so we don't miss anything, okay squirt?" She asked.

"Okay." Sam nodded. "Is there anything else I can do?" Sam asked.

"Well..." Brooke said looking around. "You could organize this paperwork for me, I need it to be in alphabetical order, do you think you could do that for me?" She asked handing Sam the stack.

"You got it." Sam said taking the stack. "You should get going, you have a phone conference in 5 minutes!" Sam said looking over to the clock.

"How did you get my schedule?" Brooke asked with a grin.

"It was on Millie's desk." Sam said.

"Well then." Brooke smiled. "I guess I should get going. I wouldn't want to be late." Brooke said as she heard the phone ring.

"Hello. Clothes over Bro's." Sam answered.

Brooke chuckled before pointing at Emma to watch over Sam's calls and closing her office door.

 ******One Tree Hill******

"Good afternoon Sam." Millie smiled as she walked into the store to find Sam sitting behind the front desk.

"Aww..." Sam sighed.

Brooke walked out of her office when she heard Millie enter the store.

"What?" Millie asked with confusions.

"Sam here has been my morning assistant. And if I do say so myself giving you a run for your money." Brooke laughed.

"Is that so." Millie laughed.

"But your back now.." Sam sighed stepping off the stool she was sitting on.

"Hey. Who says you can't be my assistant for the rest of the day?" Millie asked.

"An assistant, to the assistant?" Sam asked with a giggle.

"Well... Stranger things have happened." Brooke laughed.

"Okay." Sam nodded. "What can I do for you?" Sam said stepping forward with an eager grin.

"Hey? What about me?" Brooke said with offense.

"I'm not your assistant anymore. Sorry Brooke. I am in fact the best assist in Tree Hill. I am in high demeans you know." She said sarcastically.

"Huh.." Brooke said spinning on her heels back to her office. "I'll remember that..." She mocked with a grin.

"Fashion designers..." Sam mocked as she rolled her eyes. "So dramatic, don't you agree?" She asked.

"I heard that!" Brooke shouted from her office.

"See?" Sam said as she rolled her eyes.

Millie burst into laughter. Surely this would be a fun workday.

 ******One Tree Hill******

"I wish I could go to the store with you every day.." Sam sighed from the backseat as hey drove home. "I hate going to school." She mumbled.

"Well, I wish I could have you at the store all day too kiddo. But you have to go to school." She said looking into the rearview mirror at Sam.

"But I'm already smarter than every kid in my class. Is there really a point?" She asked.

"There's always more to learn Sam.." Brooke pointed out. "And I agree you are very smart, that's why you have to stay in school so that one day you can go to a really great college or university." Brooke said.

Sam nodded.

"Did you ever go to a college or university?" Sam asked.

"Well, not exactly." Brooke said. "But I had created clothes over Bro's in my last year of high-school. I moved out to New York for a while after that, I was in business and fashion design, but after we had made it big with Clothes over Bro's there wasn't much time to finish school." She explained.

"Yeah, you're pretty busy." Sam said.

"Yes, I am." Brooke laughed. "But, it's a kind of busy I've always wanted." She smiled. "Especially now that I have you." She added.

Sam smiled.

"I think I want to go to school for writing." Sam said looking out of the window. "I love fashion, and I really like designing my own clothes. But I think I like doing it more as something fun." She said. "But I think being a journalist would be really good." She said.

"I think that's great Sam." Brooke smiled. "I know that your writing is going to impact a lot of people one day." She said honestly. "But just take your time, you are still very young. Just worry about being a kid for now." She said. "But it's always great to have big dreams." She said putting the car in park and looking back at Sam.

"Because you can do anything if you put your mind to it. I know it. And I will be here every step of the way." She said with a smile.

"Thanks Brooke." She said unbuckling her seatbelt.

 ******One Tree Hill******

"Ready for bed?" Brooke asked as Sam was finishing up brushing her teeth.

Sam nodded and walked into her bedroom as Brooke followed.

"Brooke, do I have to go to school tomorrow?" She asked with hope as Brooke lifted her covers and helped her get into bed.

"Yes." Brooke said for what felt like the hundredth time that day.

Sam sighed.

"Sam, honey. I know you don't want to face those girls, but I promise you, they won't be bothering you anymore. I have spoken with the principal and your teachers. It has all been taken care of." She reassured.

"How do you know they won't still bother me? And even more now that I told?" Sam asked.

"Well. To be honest." Brooke began. "I don't." She said. "But what I do know is that you are one tough little girl who has a whole team of people behind her to help her with this. You have Me, Millie, Mrs. Scott, Jamie, Peyton, your principal, your teachers, and we're all here for you. If anything happens all you have to do is talk with a teacher at school and it will be dealt with." She said. "Trust me, once a bully realizes that you are strong enough to stand up for yourself, they will leave you alone." Brooke said confidently.

"You really think so?" Sam asked.

"I do." Brooke nodded. "Trust me. In high school, I was captain of the cheerleading squad and there were a few girls on my squad that weren't so nice to other girls. But once those girls stood up for themselves, they never messed with them." She said reminiscing on her old Tree Hill Raven days.

"We're you ever a bullied?" Sam asked.

Brooke thought for a moment before answering the question.

"I wasn't bullied, but people sure talked behind my back. More so in high school. I was called a lot of names, sometimes ones that I would hear about in the hallways, or sometimes online." She said. "Usually, people didn't say things to my face but it still hurt." Brooke said. "I also had my fair share of girl drama around the boys. But that's a whole other story for another time." Brooke added with a slight laugh.

"Why wouldn't they say it to your face?" Sam asked.

"Well, I made it seem like it didn't bother me. I held my head high and was confident and strong willed in the person I wanted to be." Brooke explained. "Sometimes that was threatening to other people." Brooke said. "But the truth was a lot of the time I didn't feel that I was enough, pretty enough, or smart enough" She explained.

"What did you do about it?" Sam asked with surprise that Brooke could have ever felt that way. She was so confident and strong, by far the most beautiful women she had ever seen and was beyond smart.

"Well, we had this cool photo project in high school, and I chose to do mine on that topic. I had a projector shining on me with all of the things that I felt about myself and the things that I had heard around school being said about me." She explained. "The picture got a lot of attention and after that, I started seeing myself a little differently." Brooke said. "I began to think of myself as enough of all of those things and my confidence grew, I mean I still doubt myself sometimes, but that's normal. It's all about not letting those few feelings or moments define you every time they come around." She said.

"That's really cool." Sam said.

Brooke smiled.

"I like talking to you Brooke." Sam said.

"Thanks, Sam. I like talking to you too." She smiled kissing her forehead.

"Goodnight Sweetheart." She said standing up from the bed and turning out the light.

"Brooke! Wait!" Sam called sitting up in her bed.

"Yeah?" She said turning back around.

"How long am I going to be with you?" Sam asked.

Brooke sat back down.

"For as long as you want to be." Brooke said moving a piece of her hair. "This is your home now Sam." She said reassuring the girl.

"You promise?" Sam asked. "Because I don't want to leave." She added. "Please don't let them take me to another home." She said.

"Woah, woah." Brooke said. "Where is all of this coming from Sam?" She asked with concern.

"Nowhere..." Sam said. "It's just. When this happens it always just usually ends and I don't want it to." She said.

"When what happens?" Brooke asked.

"When I feel like this." Sam said.

"Feel like what Sam?" Brooke asked.

"Safe." Sam said.

Brooke was taken a bit back with Sam's statement. She felt her heart hurt as she looked down at the girl who was so desperate to hold onto a safe home, that she worried that it was just going to be ripped out from under her at any moment.

"Well." Brooke said clearing her throat. "I promise that you are safe here, and you always will be." She said. "I don't want you to feel like anyone is going to take away this feeling from you." She said with concern.

"Ok.." Sam said looking off to the side.

Brooke gave the girl a questioning look of concern.

"Okay." Sam nodded more surely this time.

"Okay." Brooke smiled. "Good night." She's said kissing Sam's forehead once again.

"Night." Sam said snuggling up to her covers and turning on her side.

Brooke closed her bedroom door slightly over and pulled out her iPhone.

"Hey, sorry to call so late." Brooke said as a familiar voice answered.

"Don't apologize Brooke. "The social worker responded. "Is everything okay? How is Sam doing?" She asked.

"She's great, that's actually what I was calling about. I was wondering if we could look into beginning the process of adoption." Brooke said as she walked onto the back patio. "I just. I don't want her feeling that she could just be torn out of here, I want her to feel secure, to feel safe in her home." She added.

"Are you sure about this Brooke?" She asked.

"I've been sure since the day she moved in." Brooke said. "I just.. Wanted to make sure she was too, and I think I just did." Brooke smiled as she looked back in the house towards Sam's bedroom.

"Well. It's going to be a lot of work, and you will have to complete an, even more, intensive home study court dates, and a lot of paperwork. But if this is what you truly want.." She said.

"It is." Brooke said quickly.

The social worker smiled.

"I will come by Monday for a chat, how does that sound?" She asked.

"Great." Brooke said.

"I think this is really wonderful Brooke." She added, "I know that both you and Sam are very happy for this placement and it has always been my goal to find her the perfect forever home, and I believe that this is certainly something to look into." She said confidently.

"Thank you." Brooke said genuinely with a smile.

"See you Monday." She said.

"Okay. Bye." Brooke said ending the call.

Brooke looked over the Tree Hill harbor at the water and took a deep breathe in. She was ready. She wanted this to be Sam's forever home, and she was going to do anything it took to make it happen.

 ******One Tree Hill******

 **Yay! Adoption has officially become an option. This little family is coming together, hopefully smoothly, but I have a feeling that Victoria is not going to be on board with this. Please review and give me some ideas that you would like to see in future chapters!**


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